EAGLES, HAWKS, AND VULTURES 



75 



GOSHAWK 



(Astur atricapillus) 



The goshawk, one of the fiercest and 

 most destructive of our birds of prey, ex- 

 ceeding the large falcons in this respect, 

 inhabits the forests of the north and of 

 the western mountains. It comes south 

 sporadically from the far north during 

 winters when there is a failure of its food 

 supply, but at other times seldom is seen 

 except along our northern border. Its 

 flight is swift and powerful, and I have 

 seen it easily overtake grouse and other 

 fast-flying birds on the wing. 



In the north the goshawk eats Arctic 

 hares, lemmings, and ptarmigan. In its 

 southern invasions it is the foremost 

 enemy of the ruffed grouse, so that in the 

 year following a goshawk flight there 

 always is noted a decrease in these game 

 birds. 



With these propensities, naturally this 

 hawk is highly destructive to poultry, seiz- 

 ing chickens and boldly carrying them 

 away. When its hunting instincts are 

 aroused, it seems to lose all sense of fear, 

 so that it will return for chickens even 

 after having been stung with shot. It does 

 not hesitate to attack other predatory birds 

 and will fight with large owls until both 

 combatants are killed. 



The goshawk builds bulky nests of 

 sticks in either conifers or deciduous trees, 

 but usually in heavy forest. The bird is 

 fierce in defense of its home and will not 

 hesitate to attack a human intrvider. 



The eggs vary from two to five, with 

 three or four as the usual number. They 

 are pale bluish white, often unmarked, but 

 sometimes with a few spots of brown. The 

 call is a shrill note sharply repeated, being 

 heard principally in the breeding season. 

 The young in the first fall have the 

 under surface streaked like the immature 

 Cooper's hawk. 



Two races are recognized. The eastern 

 goshawk, Astur atricapillus atricapillus, 

 paler in color, breeds from Alaska, Quebec, 

 and Nova Scotia south into British Colum- 

 bia and the northern United States, ex- 

 tending south as far as western Maryland. 

 In its sporadic southern flights it comes 

 into the Central States and irregularly into 

 the Southwest. The western goshawk, 

 Astur atricapillus striatulus, nests in the 

 Pacific coast region from Alaska south to 

 California and northern Mexico. 



HARRIS'S HAWK 



(Parabuteo unicinctits harrisi) 



This is a handsomely colored hawk, 

 common only in a restricted area in the 

 United States. Although accomplished in 

 flight, so that it delights in turning in huge 

 circles high in air, it is of quiet demeanor 

 and often rests for hours on open perches 

 from which it may survey the land. 



In southern Texas it is remarked fre- 

 quently on telephone poles along the high- 

 ways. In this region it is fairly tame and 

 unsuspicious, often allowing automobiles 

 to pass without taking flight, but in other 

 areas it has been reported as wary. 



The call is a harsh scream, and the birds 

 at times are quite noisy in the vicinity of 

 their nests. 



Though in South America a closely re- 

 lated race has been reported consorting 

 with vultures and caracaras and feeding 

 on carrion, such is far from the case here. 



In Texas, Harris's hawk has been ob- 

 served dashing quickly through mesquite 

 thickets, searching for wood rats and 

 ground squirrels, and in southeastern Cali- 

 fornia Dr. Loye Miller found parts of a 

 green-winged teal in the stomach of one, 

 and bird remains, including a gilded 

 flicker, in another. They are said also to 

 eat lizards, and seem, on the whole, to be 

 beneficial in their habits. 



The nests are composed of sticks, small 

 branches, and weeds, lined with rootlets 

 and grasses. They are placed in trees or 

 sometimes on the tops of the Spanish 

 bayonet or the giant cactus. 



From two to four eggs are deposited, 

 these being dull white or with a faint 

 greenish tinge, some without markings 

 and some spotted irregularly with brown 

 or lavender. The birds ordinarily offer 

 no objection when their nests are ap- 

 proached, beyond uttering their usual calls 

 and circling in the air overhead. 



The young differ from the adults in hav- 

 ing the under surface huffy white and 

 broadly streaked with blackish brown. 



Harris's hawk is found in southeastern 

 CaHfornia, southern Arizona and New 

 Mexico and the lowlands of south Texas, 

 extending to Louisiana and Mississippi, 

 and ranging south into Baja California 

 and Central America as far as Panama. It 

 has been observed casually in Kansas and 

 Iowa. A related race is found in South 

 America. 



