2i8 Birds Every Child Should Know 
RED-TAILED HAWK 
Called also: Hen Hawk; Chicken Hawk; Red 
Hawk 
This larger relative of the red-shouldered 
hawk (the female red-tail measures nearly two 
feet in length) shares with it the hatred of all 
but the most enlightened farmers. Before con- 
demning either of these useful allies, everyone 
should read the report of Dr. Fisher, published 
by the Government, and to be had for the ask- 
ing. This expert judge tells of a pair of red- 
tailed hawks that reared their young for 
two successive seasons in a birch tree in some 
swampy woods, about fifty rods from a poultry 
farm, where they might have helped themselves 
to eight hundred chickens and half as many 
ducks ; yet they were never known to touch one. 
Occasionally, in winter especially, when other 
food is scarce, a red-tail will steal a chicken — 
probably a maimed or sickly one that cannot 
get out of the way — or drop on a bob-white; 
but ninety per cent, of its food consists of 
injurious mammals and insects. 
Both of these slandered “hen hawks” prefer 
to live in low, wet, wooded places with open 
meadows for hunting grounds near by. 
