The Red-Shouldered Hawk
3v WILLIAM DUTCHER
. Chairman National Committee ot Audubon Societies
DESCRIPTION
Aduhr.’ pvcr parts dark fuscnusrhtownr each leather edged with "EU. except on lower back. which iswithout edging; wing»eot-ens and upper tai rcm‘etts hatred and tipped with white: throat rusty white. streaked with hlackish rest 0' under pans hright rusty. t-arying greatly in shade. all leathers ctthcr spotted or barred with w . the pars hcing more pronounced on the hellr: sortie specimens show considerable hlaclt on breast or belly. princi» pail, as shaltellnes: wing with the tour outer primaries (wing quills) notched. that is. abruptly narrowed near end, all hatred with black and whit ‘ houlder olu g deep rich rust)‘ or chestnut. this peing a conspicuous dirtip- gutt mg mark. giving one oi the :nnimon names ot the species. Red-thauldend upset; tail crossed hy louror fire white bars and with white tip; undct side oi tail leathers gray instead ol hlnck: lcet yclloti'. claws plaelt: hill hlaek. bare skin at base or tnll iceret )ellowt poet parts like ldnanxccpl being less lusty and not gone so dark: under parts whitish. tinged with iron. deeper on thighs. pruiuselr marked with large dark brown spots on breast and belly: thighs plainor with ten small spots: wing \\‘
Young.—
hout white barring uladull: hase ol primaries pale tinnamon.whitish on inner side of leather: tail grayish blown. laintly hatred. showing more or less rusty nest hate or leathers. with some broken white bars on under side ol ieathers.
Florida Red shouldered Hawk lsuteo linmtut allenii, Adults oi this ions. at the ltdeshnuldnred Haunt are much smaller than those at the typical spec and can be distinguished byth grayish white head. which laslts rutnus. the deeidedly grayish upper parts and the paler pull and laintli- hatred under parts. The shoulders. how- errt. art.- the ehataete
ie rusty or chestnut hut not unit: so matlted as in ltnerrur proper. The young or this race tinguished exktpl by smaller size and lotaltty where found lsee note on dislrlhutinn).
Red.pellied Hawk to..." Ilntatux eleganxi. Adults- Lower pans mueh hrighter and deeper reddish brown than In it. 'mlnllu.‘ upper parts brighter and clearer plaek and whiiernxccpl on .he head. which shows much more rusty The (hotnttctistic red shoulder patch present.
Si: —The male Ked~shouldercd Hawk l/ineatorl caries in length. t7.so to unto inches from tip of hill to end «flail‘ it-maleismueh larger, varying mm to lo 21. inches. The Florida Red-shouldctcd Hawk (mm) is much smaller than true Iiueriur. while thr- Retleocllicd Hawlt leltganrlis almost as large as line-tut. Notethat the lemtles oi all lhr: Hawts and Owls. commonly known as Blrdsoi Frey. are much larger than the males.
Ne: vThe nest 0i linearnr is built at sticks and is lined with strips of hatlt pit-arious ltinds. sometimes erer- green tn-tgs. dry grass. dead roots and feathers: it is placed at an average height of filly leer iron. the ground. gen- erall. .n a deciduous tree. although sometimes in a pine. Alteni usually nests in pines and sometimes in cypress trees. while I'egnnx putlds in eottonwoods. oats. giant cactus. pines. ere. sometimes not more than ten ieet trim the ground, -
Egg”; lineamr aml llrplmn—Two to six in number. the average set peing wh e to pale yellow. more or less heat lly smeared. plotched and spotted with dinetent shades of proton. lawn eolor. itnareous him and pearl gray. and showing an almost endles variety of patterns.
Diltribuuant—E. Immttu inh hits all oi eastern North America. north to Nov: Stalin and southern Canada: nest to Texas and the great plain typical alien. is Iound only on the Florida peninsula. Inga... is round on the Pariiic toast lrom British Calumpta south I0 Lower Calirornia: also Irom western Texas to the Pacific.
cannnl he 4'
The generic name of this hawk. Butea. a buzzard. is of very ancient origin, being mentioned in the w tings of Pliny; its specific name is from linen. : line. referring to the streaking of the plumage. The western form elegant. meaning elegant, probably refers to the beauty and special brightness of its feathers, while the southern form is named in honor of Dr. J. A. Allen. the well-known ornithological student and writer. There are twelve species and subspecies of Buteos in North America, four of which belong to the Red-tailed Hawk group. and three to the Red»shouldered family. Without a single exception the Buteos are valuable aids to the agriculturist, as will be shown in detail latert As a class they are rather heavy, deliberate fliers. much given to soaring In circles at a great height. At other times they are prone to select some point of observation on a dead limb in the tree districts. or a knoll in the prairie regions. when they will remain in perfect repose for a long period. seemingly asleep; however. any attempt to approach them by an observer quickly shows that they are alert and watchful. Unfortunately. the harmless and beneficial Hawks of the Butco tribe are the scapegoat: of all that is bad in the Hawk family and are made to sutier ior most of the sins that a
(no)
