HAWKS, EAGLES, KITES: HARRIS HAWK 
173 
A specimen taken October 11, 1906, near Joseph (Bailey), probably represents 
about the beginning of the fall migration. [Two were seen near Carrizozo along the 
railroad October 4, 1918 (Ligon),] and from October 15 to November 4, 1908, the 
species was rather common at Fruitland (Birdseye). It is rather common in winter 
in the southern half of the State (Ligon), occurring at Silver City (Hunn), at Fort 
Fillmore (Henry), in the vicinity of Carlsbad Bird Reserve, January 1915 (Willett), 
and at the mouth of San Nicholas Canyon in the San Andres Mountains, January 
21 1903 (Gaut); [three were seen, December 6 and 9, 1918, 15-20 miles northeast 
of Engle and great numbers seen from San Simon to Carlsbad January 5 to 7, 1919. 
Others observed almost daily May 6-10, 1920, from an automobile between Silver 
City and the Mexican boundary, were presumably late spring migrants( Ligon). 
One or two were seen several times during April and May, 1924, and others in May, 
1925, near La Bajada Hill, 15 miles southwest of Santa Fe, and it has also been seen 
occasionally in Arroya Hondo, five miles southeast of Santa Fe (Jensen)l.—W. W. 
Cooke. 
Nest. —In high junipers in open places and sometimes in yellow pines or even 
on the ground, sometimes on rocky precipitous hillsides; great masses of sticks 
or even buffalo ribs, at times measuring three feet in diameter and two or more in 
depth. Eggs: 2 to 5, creamy or pale greenish, irregularly blotched with brown and 
lavender. 
Food. —Almost entirely small mammals, especially mice; also rabbits, ground 
scpiirrels, pocket gophers, prairie dogs, and snakes; almost never birds: 
General Habits. —The large stately Ferruginous Rough-leg, easily 
recognized in its normal phase by its light underparts and tail and its 
rufous feathered legs, is the southern relative of the Rough-leg. The 
Ferruginous lives so largely on the ground squirrels of the prairie that 
it is known locally as the Squirrel Hawk. “Great is the service it per¬ 
forms in keeping their numbers in check,” Doctor Fisher exclaims, 
adding:“It is humiliating to think how many of these two noble hawks 
are ruthlessly murdered,'” and that bounties are paid on their heads “to 
satisfy ignorant prejudice” (1907, pp. 5-6). 
In the Carlsbad region in 1924, Mr. Bailey saw “many carcasses of 
these big, beautiful and useful hawks strewn along the roadsides, shot 
from passing automobiles as they sat on fence posts or telephone poles 
watching for ground squirrels.” As he says, “few hawks have greater 
value to farmers in the plains and prairie country where ground squir¬ 
rels are a serious pest” (1928a, p. 139). 
Additional Literature.—Cameron, E. S., Auk, XXXI, 159-167, 1914. 
HARRIS HAWK: Parabuteo unicmctus harrisi (Audubon) 
Plate 9 
Description. — Male: Length 17.5-21 inches, wing 12.3-13.7, tail 9.8-10.2, 
bill .9, tarsus 3.1-3.2. Female: Length 21-24 inches, wing 14.2-14.5, tail 10.8-11, 
bill 1.1, tarsus 3.4-3.7. Five outer quills cut out on inner webs. Adults: Upper- 
parts dark sooty brown, reddish brown on shoulders , under wing coverts , and thighs; 
tail black with white base and broad white tip. Immature: Blackish upper parts 
with yellowish brown feather edgings, head and neck streaked; rump white and 
