150 LAND BIRDS 



show them to have eschewed everything with feathers, 

 and to have dined upon small snakes, lizards, frogs, in- 

 sects, and crawfish. Fur and feathers are caught only 

 as a last resort, when there are hungry young in the 

 nest. 



The Red-bellied Hawk is exceptionally fond of bath- 

 ing, and in California it usually builds within a hun- 

 dred yards of water. Both adults indulge in a daily 

 bath, returning to the same place at about the same hour 

 for it. The nest is placed in a tree or giant cactus; it 

 is composed of twigs with leaves and usually lined with 

 leaves and feathers. This hawk utters a shrill, high 

 scream when molested, but does not offer to fight unless 

 the intruder be a bird or snake. Incubation lasts thirty- 

 one days. 



342. SWAINSON HAWK.— Buteo swainsoni. 

 Family : The Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, etc. 



Length: Male 12.50-20.00 ; female 21.00-22.00. 



Adult Male: Upper parts dark grayish brown ; forehead, chin, throat, 

 and under parts white, except a sharply defined reddish brown chest 

 band ; belly often barred or spotted with brownish ; tail a brownish 

 gray, crossed by 9 or 10 narrow dusky bands. 



Adult Female: Similar to male, but chest band grayish brown instead 

 of reddish brown. 



Melanistic Phase: Both sexes uniform rusty black ; many gradations 

 are found between this black phase and the normal plumage. 



Young : Tail as in adult ; upper parts sooty brown, varied with yellow- 

 brown ; under parts and head streaked brown and black. 



Geographical Distribution : From the arctic regions to South America, 

 from the Pacific to the Eastern States. 



California Breeding Range : San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, and 

 the San Diegan district. 



Breeding Season : May. 



