— 
'T us view of dead hawks strung 
on a wire fence is seen too often. 
It means that some people kill 
hawks without realizing that most 
of them are now protected by law 
in all but a few states. Why hawks | 
are protected will be understood 
better after you study the diagram 
below. It is based on studies by 
the U. S. Department of Agricul- 
ture of 5,185 hawk stomachs. 
WHAT HAWKS 
ae HAWK 
1 es SSE 
— HAWK - 
eet + Mice 28 
RED-TAILED HAWK 
sects 32 Frogs, Snakes 25 
: Re Re 
9S 
~ ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 
eat et 
SPARROW HAWK | 
SARA ae 
~COOPER’S HAWK | 
BEEELELEe 
Smalf{f Birds 55 Rats > aCe, 
Agvatic 
Insects 26 syuin 
aS 
ereia 
, 65 
atm 
Cat te 
G e 
Birds ' 
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 
Small Birds 96.4 
MARSH HAWK 
R08 oF 
rie sian 
4 & 
squirrels eae 
Printed in U.S.A. 
HAWKS ARE YOUR FRIENDS — 
eat RY. 
bhits Bread oft eee 
are ae The smaller long-tailed hawks that feed mostly on 
Fa ee $ es small birds are not seen very often because they 
na 8 < 4 |} do not soar in circles and usually perch under cover. 
ee Oe The eating of small birds by hawks is nature’s way 
of controlling their numbers so as to maintain 
es balanced and therefore healthy wildlife community 
o he) 
2 
a small 
Birds 8.4 
v 
2 Poultry [Oo 
Sak 
PROTECT THEM 
SAN RRR a apt oR & 
‘LIVING MOUSETRAPS’ 
The hawks most commonly shot, such as the red- 
tails on the fence, are the ones that soar in wide 
circles in the sky and perch conspicuously in the 
* ae open. These are the hawks that feed mostly on 
@2 384! insects and rodents — that’s why they are often — 
im <.€ 4 73 ; 
& Y5E called “living mousetraps. ” ) 
Aves - | 
A JOB FOR EVERY HAWK 
8 24% 
3 Saree The small creatures that hawks eat breed so 
3" ou tot i ‘ ; . 
y < ace rapidly that there is an important job for every 
Yau’ hawk to do. If rats, mice, rabbits, squirrels, and 
gophers are not controlled by hawks, owls and 
other predators, they sometimes do extensive dam- 
o doubt that hawks 
‘G) 
Frogs 
Snakes 
Game 
ad wiras 2A 
age to agriculture. There can be 
Peg Ac vatic {5 
K 
THE WILDLIFE COMMUNITY 
KNOW YOUR HAWKS 
Learn to identify the various hawks in you 
vicinity and observe their food habits. A Minnesot 
farmer reported to the National Audubon Societ 
Gee that, in one day, he watched a red-tailed hawk cap 
3 9 ture 32 mice that were turned up while he diske 
re ee his field. He added that all hawks and owls are pro- 
tected on his property, not just in view of their eco- 
2 __| nomic value but because he enjoys watching them. 
2 ia f£ ~ 
M f G2 £! 
gene’ SB! This circular was prepared by the National Audubon 
co we Society, 1130 Fifth Avenue, New York 28, N. Y. For details 
€-. about hawk and owl protective laws in the various states, 
send 10¢ to the Society for the bulletin, “A Fair Deal for 
Our Birds of Prey?” Appreciation is extended to the 
Missouri Conservation Commission and C. W. Schwartz for 
use of the drawing at the top of this page. 
Insects 3.3 
y 4 
-¢ Poultry 23 
Agvatic au 
Distributed by 
ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 
CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 
ROOSEVELT ROAD AND LAKE SHORE DRIVE 
CHICAGO*53ILLINOES 
1g Frogs, ete.4 
