HAWKS 137 



Food habits. — On the theory that it is an habitual chicken 

 thief, the red-shouldered hawk is relentlessly persecuted by 

 farmers and hunters alike. All the evidence, however, goes 

 to show that it rarely attacks poultry, but feeds almost entire- 

 ly on mice and other small mammals, snakes, insects, craw- 

 fish, and occasionally small birds. Only 3 of the 220 stomachs 

 examined in the Biological Survey contained poultry, while 

 102 contained mice; 40, other mammals; 20, reptiles; 39, 

 batrachians ; 92, insects ; 16, spiders ; 7, crawfish ; and 12 con- 

 tained other birds.f An immature bird of this species, shot 

 by F. W. McCormack, at Leighton, July 13, 1912, contained 

 in its stomach two whole frogs and remains of others. 



BROAD-WINGED HAWK: Buteo platypterus platypterus 



(Vieillot). 



State records. — The broad-winged hawk occurs in Alabama 

 in moderate numbers as a summer resident, being rather more 

 numerous in the hill country than on the coastal plain. Saun- 

 ders noted its arrival at Woodbine, March 25, 1908, after 

 which it soon became abundant; a nest was reported to him 

 the latter part of May.* I have observed the species during 

 the breeding season on Sand Mountain (near Carpenter) , at 

 Guntersville, Muscle Shoals, Melville, Ardell, Fort Payne, 

 Talladega Mountains, Lock 14 Warrior River, Barachias, 

 Point Clear, and Dog River, Mobile Bay. Golsan took a speci- 

 men at Autaugaville, September 2, 1911, and Avery records 

 one taken at Cedarville.** Bendire states that Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher saw a pair near Mobile in May, 1886.$ Incubated eggs 

 were found at Booth, May 22, 1912. 



General habits. — This medium-sized hawk is found in dry, 

 upland woods, seeming to prefer timbered hillsides. Its note 

 is a shrill, high-pitched whistle, quite different from that of 

 the larger buteos. It is a gentle and unsuspicious bird, often 

 allowing a person to approach within a few yards before tak- 

 ing flight. Although rather sluggish and heavy on the wing, 

 it often soars in circles at a considerable height. 



tFisher A K., Bull. 3, Div. Ornith. and Mamm., U. S. Dept. Agrr., p. 70, 1893. 



•The Auk,' vol. 25, p. 417, 1908. 



•♦Avery, W. C, Amer. Field, vol. 34, p. 584, 1890. 



tBendire, C, Life Hist. North Amer. Birds [vol. 1], p. 242, 1892. 



