NOV. , I9O6 | 
NESTING OF THE RED-BELLIED HAWK 
145 
prefer the shelter of the groves where their shrill scream is a common bird note, 
particularly during the nesting season. They are the noisiest of all our hawks. 
The crv is a short snapping bark or scream, repeated again and again, very differ- 
ent from the long drawn out "ku-e-e-e-ah” of the red-tail, and more resembling 
the cry of the Cooper hawk but easily distinguishable from it. 
Unlike the other large hawks the red-bellied does not seek a commanding situ- 
ation for its nest. It is unusual to find them nesting in isolated trees, and it is 
very seldom the nest is visible from any great distance as is often the case with the 
red-tail and Swainson hawks. The preference is for some fairly thick willow and 
cottonwood grove and they have a great fondness for Eucalyptus groves, making 
flieir nests at times on the masses of bark that have sloughed off and collected in 
some large crotch of the main branches. These nests are, as a rule, very well con- 
cealed and only flushing the bird, or the sight of the handsomely barred tail over 
the edge, gives proof of what is there. This concealment, however, can hardly be 
considered as deliberate, for beyond the fact of the choice of a thick growing tree 
or a grove for the loca- 
tion of the nest there is 
never any attempt at it. 
The nest is generally 
about 50 feet from the 
ground, the height de- 
pending largely on the 
size of the surrounding 
trees, and may be an old 
crow’s or hawk’s nest 
remodelled, or an elabor- 
ate structure of the bird's 
own composition. If un- 
disturbed the same nest 
will often be occupied 
year after year; but the 
birds generally have a 
second or third nest in 
reserve and will alter-- 
nate, almost invariably 
doing so if a first clutch of eggs is taken. Where the gray Spanish moss is con- 
venient to the nesting place a great deal of that is used in the lining and often the 
long streamers will hang down over the edge giving a very pleasing appearance. 
The use of green leaves is a peculiarity of this species and it is very seldom 
one finds a nest finished or containing eggs where fresh leaves are not in evidence. 
These are generally of the same tree in which the nest is situated and are renewed 
from time to time until the eggs are hatched. I have found them in nests with 
eggs in all stages of incubation. After the young appear the practice is discon- 
tinued, the nest soon gets flattened out, and with hungry mouths to feed there is 
little time — if there is inclination — for the enjoyment of the merely beautiful. 
One does not need to look many times into a hawk’s nest containing young at 
dinner-time, which is practically «// the time, to realize how very great is their 
economic value. 
In this section, where rabbits, squirrels and gophers are plentiful, there are no 
birds that should be protected more vigorously than the Raptores of all species. 
Most of the ranch owners appreciate their benefit, but there is always the unwill- 
NEST AND EGGS OF RED-BELLIED HAWK IN EUCALYPTUS TREE. 
TAKEN FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD 
