196 
Red-tailed Hawk may take an occasional chicken or Grouse, instances 
of Swainson’s Hawk doing so are unusual enough to cause surprise. 
It varies its rodent food with grasshoppers it catches on the ground with 
clumsy gravity, making heavy hops with waving wings and short runs 
hither and thither as it grabs the nimble insects with talons that look absurd- 
ly big and formidable for the purpose. Though its effects on insects are 
not to be disregarded, its highest usefulness is obviously directed against 
small mammal pests. Early and late it is at work supplying its own needs 
and those of its hungry offspring, and the total number of gophers consumed 
by a single family of this Hawk throughout the season reaches an important 
total. The prairie farmer can scarcely raise better paying stock than a 
few broods of Swainson’s Hawks. The value of this system of gopher 
control is that it is always working and is not confined to the premises that 
are kept clear of vermin by dint of owners’ efforts, but is spread over those 
of his more careless neighbour whose land is a constant source of reinfesta- 
tion to surrounding localities. 
343. Broad- winged Hawk. Buteo platypterus. L, 15*89. The smallest of the 
Buteos. Similar in size to Cooper’s Hawk (Figure 202-7). Juvenile, dark brown 
above; white below, striped on sides of breast, flanks, and abdomen with dark. Much like 
a small, juvenile Red-tailed of the eastern or light type. Adult, above, dark, without any 
bluish tinge. Tail, dark, with two to three conspicuous light bars across. Below, dull 
rufous brown irregularly barred with white, the reddish more uniform towards the breast. 
Occasional melanotic or black specimens occur but are exceptional, and do not form a 
regular phase of the species. 
Distinctions. Very much smaller than any other Buteo. Likely to be confused only 
with Cooper’s Hawk, but has three outer primaries emarginate (like Figure 215), instead 
of five as in Cooper’s, and the other Accipiters (Figures 209 and 211) . In spite of its reddish- 
barred underparts, the adult is easily known from the adult Accipiters, by having no shade 
of bluish on the back, and the two to three prominent light tail bars considerably narrower 
than the intervening dark spaces and very pale brown without any greyish suggestion. 
Field Marks. A small Hawk, somewhat larger than Cooper’s, but of evident Buteo 
outline (Figure 202-7). Its call, a fine, long drawn-out squeak, like that of a rusty hinge, 
is very characteristic. 
Nesting. In trees in the woods. 
Distribution. Eastern North America. In Canada, westward throughout the north- 
ern wooded sections of the Prairie Provinces, north to about latitude 55, but only a migrant 
on the prairies. 
Economic Status. This is a bird of the open forest and bush-lands, 
but is hardly numerous enough in western Canada except, perhaps, in the 
wooded parts of Manitoba, to have economic importance. 
Of 57 stomachs examined, 2 contained small birds; 15, mice; 13, 
other mammals; 11, reptiles, 13, batrachians (frogs, etc.); 30, insects; 
2, earthworms; 4, crawfish. Without further analysis this evidence is 
sufficient to free this species from any stigma of being harmful. 
Rough-legs 
The Rough-legged Hawks are Buzzards principally characterized by 
having legs feathered to the base of the toes (Figure 219). They are Hawks 
of the very largest size, but their feet are comparatively small and weak 
for so large a bird, and they are obviously too lightly armed for attack on 
vigorous prey. They restrict their diet to small mammals and insects, 
being particularly efficient grasshopper destroyers. They obtain their 
name from the “rough” or feathered tarsus. There are two species of the 
group in Canada, one nesting commonly in the southern prairies, the other 
