swainson's hawk. 73 



and Arkansas, and is accidental in New England. Throughout the 

 northern part of its range and as far south as South Dakota and Ne- 

 braska it is a migratory species. A few winter near parallel 43°, but 

 the majority pass south of that latitude by the latter part of October 

 and return the following March or early April. 



The food of this Hawk, like that of the other Buteos, is extremely 

 varied, but generally consists of more insect matter than is usually the 

 case in birds of prey of this group. Besides insects, it feeds exten- 

 sively on gophers (ground squirrels) and other small rodents, reptiles, 

 batrachians, and occasionally on birds. It very rarely touches poultry, 

 though Mr. H. Nehrling says that in Texas it commits great havoc 

 among this class of birds. (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vol. vn, 1882, 

 p. 174.) It is probable that this author has been misinformed, as the 

 majority of writers state the contrary. It is quite rare for them to 

 touch small birds, and the following notes will show in what perfect 

 harmony it often lives with other species. 



Capt. Charles E. Bendiresays: " Lieut. Benson writes me that after 

 the Arkansas king birds (Tyrannies verticalis Say) began to build he 

 invariably found one of their nests in any tree that contained a Swain- 

 son's hawk's nest. In one case, a pair of these birds had placed their 

 nest directly under and but 8 or 9 inches from that of the hawk. A 

 pair of white-rumped shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus excubitoroides 

 Swains.) built also immediately below one of these hawks' nests." (Proc. 

 IT. S. Nat. Mus., vol. x, 1887, p. 553.) 



Dr. W. J. Hoffman says : " The only nest with eggs observed was one 

 near Antelope Creek [Nevada], which was built near another of Icterus 

 bullocM. In this instance both were breeding, and the latter evinced 

 no fear of their neighbors, as one would occasionally fly back and forth 

 from the nest immediately over that occupied by the hawk." (Bull. U. 

 S. Geol. and Geog. Surv. Ter., Hayden, vol. VI, 1881, p. 243.) 



Among the smaller mammals, spermophiles form a very important 

 item in the bill of fare, and at certain seasons of the year constitute the 

 greater part of the food of this hawk. The following, from the pen of 

 Mr. H. W. Henshaw, bears on the subject: " Camping here [San Fer- 

 nando Valley, Cal.] one evening our attention was directed to the great 

 number of gophers (Spermophilus beecheyi) which in large colonies in- 

 habited some barren hills near the station. Toward dusk the place 

 was visited by at least a dozen of these birds, which took up their posi- 

 tions on the hillocks thrown up by the animals in front of their bur- 

 rows, and awaited with patience the moment when a favorable oppor- 

 tunity should occur to snatch a supper. Elsewhere I have frequently 

 seen them thus employed, and their persistence in destroying these 

 pests should entitle them to due consideration at the hands of the 

 farmer. Large number of insects, particularly grasshoppers, are des- 

 troyed by these birds, whose abilities as purveyors of food are thus of 



