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BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
State Records. —The type specimen of the Western Red-tail was obtained by 
Henry near Fort Webster about 1855. The species occurs throughout the moun¬ 
tainous portion of the State, nesting at the middle altitudes. A nest found June 
3, 1903, at Santa Rosa, was only just built, while in a nest found at about 6,500 
feet on the Rio Mimbres the young left late in May, 1906 (Bailey), and a cliff nest 
near Beaver Lake, at 7,000 feet, already held slightly incubated eggs April 14, 1913 
(Ligon). [In the Carlsbad cave region it is perhaps the commonest breeding hawk 
along the cliffs and canyon walls, where bulky stick nests are often seen (Bailey). 
In a cliff nest 10 miles west of Cuchiilo, at about 5,500 feet, partly feathered young 
were found May 15, 1916; and “pretty well feathered young,” June 28, in a pine 
tree nest about 45 miles northeast of Grants, at 7,500 feet (Ligon).] A nest was 
found in a gulch near Fort Wingate in the summer of 1905 (Hollister), and the 
species is a common breeding bird along the Rio Grande at Mesilla (Merrill). In 
May and June, during the nesting season, it has been noted from 3,800 feet at 
Mesilla to about 5,000 feet along the east base of the Capitan Mountains (Bailey), 
and to about 9,000 feet near the summit of the Zuni Mountains (Goldman). [In 
northern Santa Fe County it nests at least up to 9,000 feet (Jensen, 1922). At 
Lake Burford, one or two nests were seen in the canyon below the lake and indi¬ 
viduals noted, May 26-June 14, 1918 (Wetmore). In the latter part of June, 1919, 
they were seen almost daily between Pot Creek and Rio Chiquito, 20 miles south¬ 
east of Taos, at 9,000 feet; also seen almost daily from July 10-18, 1919, at the head 
of the Pecos at about 10,000 feet. In both localities there were apparently young 
birds, but none were seen (Ligon).] 
After the young are fledged both old and young range over the entire State 
from the lowlands to the summits of the highest peaks; in fact on October 7, 1903, 
one was seen sailing high above Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico 
(Bailey). On September 24, 1913, one was seen near Koehler Junction (Kalmbach). 
[In 1916 the species was noted September 29 and 30, in the region of Gallup; October 
1, at White Water Creek, and October 4, near Zuni (Skinner).] 
It is much less common in winter than in summer and at this season is confined 
to the lower levels. A few were noted at Fort Thorn on the Rio Grande (Henry); 
and they are regular winter residents at Mesilla (Merrill); only three were seen 
during the entire winter of 1903-4 at Arroyo Seco (Surber); two were seen January 
4, 1903, near Jarilla (Gaut); at Silver City one was seen December 29, 1883, and no 
more until February 5, 1884 (Marsh); [taken there November 18, 1917 (Kellogg)]. 
In the region of the Carlsbad Bird Reserve it was common January, 1915; it was also 
noted in the winter of 1915-16, [and was rather common December, 1916. On the 
Rio Grande Bird Reserve (Elephant Butte), it was noted November 23-December 
9, 1916 (Willett)].—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —Usually in large cottonwoods, sycamores, and live oaks, 30 to 50 feet 
from the ground, but also in pines, junipers, mesquites, ocotillas, and giant cactus, 
and occasionally on cliffs; made of sticks and lined with roots and inner bark. 
Eggs: Generally 2 or 3, creamy or bluish white, unspotted or irregularly blotched 
with yellow and brown. 
Food. Mainly ground squirrels, rock squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, cotton¬ 
tail and jack rabbits, mice, snakes—including rattlesnakes—lizards, frogs, cattle 
grubs, grasshoppers, Jerusalem crickets, and other insects. One shot in Santa 
Clara Canyon when eating a ground squirrel had part of the squirrel in its crop, 
with several enormous beetles and the remains of an Abert squirrel in its stomach 
(Bailey). 
