HAWKS, EAGLES, KITES: ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 171 
heavy black “wrist mark;” underparts from white to yellowish brown, spotted 
and streaked with “tendency to excess of whitish on head and to formation of a 
dark abdominal zone ” (Cones). Dark phase in both young and old connected with 
normal plumage by variations—black except for white forehead, white on wing 
quills and bands on base of tail; iris light brown to yellow, bill mainly dark horn 
color, cere greenish yellow; legs and feet dull yellow. Young in juvenal plumage: 
Similar to normal adults but end of tail plain grayish brown, basal part whitish; 
underparts usually more buffy, with wide blackish abdominal belt . 
Comparisons. —The white patch at the base of the tail suggests the Marsh 
Hawk but the brown, instead of bluish, upperparts distinguish it from the male 
Marsh Hawk and seen from below the black wrist marks distinguish it from the 
Marsh with its plain white under wings. (See Plates 9 and 15.) 
Range. —Breeds chiefly in Hudsonian Zone from the Aleutians, northwestern 
Alaska, Arctic coast, and northern Quebec and Labrador south to Newfoundland, 
northern Alberta, and central British Columbia; winters from southern British 
Columbia, northern United States, and southern Ontario south to South Carolina, 
Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, southern New Mexico, and southern California. 
State Records. —From its Canadian breeding grounds, the Rough-legged 
Hawk retires in the winter as far south as southern New Mexico. One was taken 
November 9, 1853, near Zuni, by Kennedy, and Henry did not consider it a rare 
winter bird along the Rio Grande near Fort Fillmore about 1854, though he found 
it only once on the Rio Mimbres near Fort Webster. No record of the occur¬ 
rence of the species in New Mexico seems to have been made for the next half 
century, but on November 29, 1902, one was taken at Tularosa (Gaut). These 
localities mark the extreme southern limit of the range and since the bird is found 
in winter in the Rocky Mountains not farther north than Colorado, it is probable 
that it is more common in northern New Mexico than the records would indicate. 
Several were seen near Koehler Junction and a specimen was taken on September 
30, 1913 (Kalmbach); at Pinabetitos, one was seen November 25, and at Perico, on 
December 11, 1893, it was found common (Seton).—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —In high trees or on rocky ledges, bulky, made of large sticks, lined with 
grass, leaves, or feathers. Eggs: 2 to 5, dull white, sometimes unmarked, but 
generally more or less spotted, blotched, or scrawled with brown. 
Food. —Almost exclusively rodents; in winter, mainly meadow mice which, at 
times, become “very distinctive pests”; also carrion (Seton). 
General Habits. —A pair of Rough-legs found by Mr. A. M. 
Bailey at tlieir nest in northwestern Alaska showed both color phases, 
the male being dark, the female light-colored. In their native north 
land they are birds to arouse the enthusiasm of the bird lover, and Mr. 
Bailey writes—“To me the Rough-leg is one of the finest of our birds of 
prey . . . Hovering high over the mountains bordering placid harbors, 
dark against the cloud-filled sky, its eerie calls carry for a distance, 
lending enchantment to the most isolated regions (1926, p. 123). 
When cold weather comes in these far regions of Hudsonian Zone 
with its accompaniment of deep snow and thick ice, as Mr. Forbush says, 
“a vast army of Rough-legged Hawks moves southward toward the 
United States. When starting on migration they soar to a great height 
and then set their course. Probably they travel at such high altitudes 
