Kansas Schol Naturalist: Hawks in Kansas

HAWKS IN KANSAS

THE KANSAS SCHOOL NATURALIST

Vol.

October 1956

3

NO.1

Kansas State Teachers College Emporia, Kansas

The Kansas

School Naturalist

Published by

The Kansas State Teachers College of ~mporia John E King, President

Prepared and Issued by The Department of Biology, with

the cooperation of the Divisions

of Education and Social Science

Editor: John Breukelman,

Head, Department of Biology

Editorial Committee: Ina M. Borman, Robert F. Clarke,

Helen 1\1. Douglass, Gilbert A. Leisman, Dixon Smith

The Kansas School Naturalist is sent upon request, free of charge to anv citizen of Kansas.

The Kansas School Naturalist is published in October, December, February and April of each year by The Kansas State Teachers Col足 lege, Emporia, Kansas. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Emporia, Kansas.

3

Hawks in Kansas

Two incidents led to the selec­ tion of "Hawks" as the topic for this issue of The Kansas School N a­ turalist.

First, a teacher of vocational agriculture in a Kansas high school directed this question to the edu­ cational representative of the Kan­ sas Forestry, Fish and Game Com­ mission: "How many pOints should I allow, in our pest control project, for killing a red-tailed hawk?"

Second, a Kansas dailv news­ paper had an illustrated sto'ry about a high school student who had killed nearly 100 hawks, during the months from September to January, in a sponsored "pest control" pro­ ject. The story was printed in sev­ eral other papers, and in most cases it was told as if the killing of the hawks were a praiseworthy act.

It is quite possible that an inter­ ested biology teacher might have saved most of the hawks mentioned in the newspaper story. This issue of KSN is an attempt to provide some of the information which may enable teachers, scout leaders, con­ servationists, sponsors of youth groups, parents, and other inter­ ested persons to help in the con­ servation of hawks and their near relatives, which are among our im­ portant natural resources.

The encouraging thing about the hawk incident was the considerable number of letters , editorials, and other comments which followed.

Space permits printing only a few quotations from these, selected to bring out some of the points im­ pOltant to conservation. On the

following pages are quotations from a statement by Dr. Harrison B. Tordoff, ornithologist at the Mu­ seum of Natural History of the University of Kansas, from an edi­ torial in The Topeka Daily Capital, and from several letters sent in by newspaper readers. These indicate that many people are aware of the value of hawks.

In this issue of The Kansas School Naturalist we present descriptions of most of the Kansas hawks and of their near relatives, the vultures and eagles. We hope that the de­ scriptions are sufficiently clear to enable interested persons to recog­ nize beneficial hawks when they see them.

HAWK KILLING SHOULD BE STOPPED Few things arouse greater des­ pair in conservationists than dis­ covery that a youth guidance pro­ gram ... can become so misdirected as to encourage and reward whole­ sale killing of highly beneficial birds ...

So-called "chicken hawks" are actually any of several kinds of large soaring hawks . The 85 hawks killed . . . were examined by Prof.

Harrison B. Tordoff, ornithologist at the University of Kansas Mu­ seum of Natural History. Eighty­ four were Red-tailed Hawks, one was a Marsh Hawk. Scientists have proved repeatedly and conclUSively that both of these species are highly beneficial in food habits. Rarely does either species kill chickens or game birds. Instead, they feed

4

largely on rodents which are harm­ ful to agriculture.

Each hawk of the 85 killed would eat at least three rats or mice per day. It each rodent destroys 10 cents worth of forage or garden crops in a year, the 85 hawks would, in one year, have saved farmers over $9300 ...

Two kinds of hawks in Kansas do feed regularly on birds. These are the Cooper Hawk and the Sharp-shinned Hawk. Both kinds are uncommon or rare and are very elusive, living in woodlands where hunters rarely get a shot at them.

Even these species should be killed only when actual damage to chick­ ens occurs. Proper control should be directed only at the individual responSible for the damage . . .

Game managers and other conser­ vationists know that normal preda­ tion on game species helps to main­ tain strong and healthy popula­ tions. It helps to remember that the "good old days" of abundant game were also the days before "pest," "varmint," and other predator control programs.

Persons with a true love and understanding of wildlife recognize that every animal has its place in nature's scheme. These people feel that a countryside lacking hawks, owls, and covotes would have lost much of its ~ppeal. They feel that indiscriminate slaughter of pred­ ators is morally wrong, as well as economically harmful.

Red-tailed Hawks, Marsh Hawks, and most other hawks and owls are protected by law in Kansas. In spite of this legal protection, the slaughter goes on unchecked year after year. Seldom does one read of

any arrest or prosecution for hawk killing. Game agents say frankly that violations are ignored because public sentiment for protection of predators is lacking. Must we have on our conscience the gradual de­ cline and perhaps eventual extinc­ tion of these superb creatures'?­ creatures useful to man, too! Above all, can we permit encouragement of youths in senseless hawk-killing tlu'ough badly misguided school programs'? \Vhere is our conserva­ tion conscience'? The time has come to require that the laws of our state be enforced by judges and officers charged with this duty.

January 16, 1956 Ha1'1'ison B. T ordoff USEFUL HAWKS PROTECTED Federal and state game protectors, plus a large number of conservationists and bird lovers generally, are concerned over the exploits of boys engaged in a so-called "pest-control" program.

Under the state law only three kinds of. hawks and the great horned owl are adined as predatory. The Cooper's, Sharpshin and Goshawk, all small, fast­ flying hawks, are included in the list per­ mitted to be killed. The federal and state game protectors have visited the boy, and informed him of the regulations.

Heavy fines and possible jail sentences are prescribed for violation of the game laws . . .

The law does provide that certain migratory birds, such as blackbirds, may be killed if destroying grain or orchards.

Most hawks are listed as migratory, hence are protected under federal laws based on treaties with Canada and Mexi­ co, just as are song birds, wildfowl and other birds while crossing the United States on their annual migrations ...

5 Promiscuous shooting of good and bad hawks also may lead to destruction of the bald eagle, protected by both fed­ eral and state laws, according to our game protectors. Several thoughtless hunters have been arrested and fined for destroying this harmless bird, which is easily stalked when watching the fields for rats, mice, or rabbits.

Organizations ·that have pest control as part of their programs should educate their youthful members in the identifica­ tion of useful birds and those that are harmful.

Editorial in Th'e Topeka Daily Capital, January 17, 1956.

The following are quotations from letters printed in the Kansas City Star.

A MILD PROTEST My letter is a mild protest in regard to a picture and story ... There are sev­ eral things wrong with the story, but worst is the possible effect of the thing on our boys. The conservation com­ mission has labored long in this state to help those lads along constructive paths . . . The main die~ of red tails (and I suspect most of those on the fence are red tails since they are easiest to hit with a gun) has been proved over and over­ in all sections of the country-to be ro­ dents . . .

James F . Keefe As~ociate Editor Missouri Conservationist A PICTURE HOLDS THE ANSWER If mice, ground squirrels, gophers, snakes and rabbits overrun the farm, and the farmer begins to wonder why, he will have the answer when he looks at the picture of the hawks he has killed ...

If he will study the habits of the birds, I believe he will find he is doing him­ self harm.

F. C. McNitt Washington, Kansas

BETTER IN THE SKY Most hawks live on mice and other rodents and more than compensate for the occasional chicken they catch. To my mind, they are much more interesting to see perched in a high tree or sailing in the sky than the sight of their dead bodies strung on a wire fence. /. /. M cKinny DeWitt, M~~sott1'i

HAWKS

If you want to start an argument, bring up the subject of hawks. "The only good hawks are dead hawks" is a familiar saying. It is a shame that people still persist in condemn­ ing the hawks of Kansas. Our state has passed laws protecting all but three of them. Of all the kinds found in the state, only three can be counted as harmfui-the crow­ sized Cooper's ha wk, the smaller sharp-shinned hawk, and the rare (in Kansas) goshawk. All other hawks are beneficial. An individual may once in a while pounce on a chicken, or more rarely a game bird, but the number of rat and mouse pests they destroy far out­ weighs their misdeeds.

Next time you see a hawk making circles in the sky or sitting ma­ jestically atop a lone tree in a pas­ ture, hold back that urge to shoot at it. If he dives into a chicken yard or captures a game bird (which is rarer than you think) go after him; otherwise be thankful that he is your friend in the battle for sur­ vival.

Naturalists who have made studies of the redtail's food habits have found that about seventy-five per cent of its food consists of in­ jurious rats and mice. Poultry and

6

game amount to only about seven per cent. You can see that the com­ mon name "hen hawk" is wrongly applied. A better name would be "mouse hawk" or "rat hawk."

The Red-tailed hawk, Swains on's hawk ( a common hawk of the dry prairie country of western Kansas) and the marsh hawk (which we see Hying low to the ground over the prairies of Kansas ) are three of the most valuable hawks of Kansas, be­ cause their diet is made up mostly of harmful rodents.

The Cooper's hawk is the true black sheep of the hawks. His mis­ deeds have caused the wrath of man to be leveled at the entire hawk group. Birds are his main food. He has been known to inflict losses among the flocks of poultry raisers. He is a threat to game birds.

Many people call the Cooper's hawk the "blue darter." He lives in the deep woods where he slips through the trees so cleverly that he is seIdell seen. Beneficial hawks , because of their habit of living in the open, usually fall victim to the gun of the angry farmer whose chickens have been stolen by the Cooper's hawk.

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THE NAMES OF HAWKS In the broad sense the term "hawk" may include all the birds listed in this issue; in a narrow sense the term includes only a part of the family Accipitridae (the "true hawks").

In a non-technical sense these birds of prey which are either hawks or hawklike may be grouped into eight categories, as follows : 1. Vultures, often called "buzzards," al­ though "buzzard" was the original term for the Buteos.

2. Kites, found mostly in the south.

3. Accipiters, or "true hawks," including the harmful species of Kansas.

4. Buteos, originally known as buzzard hawks, including many of the most va luable species. These are, except for the eagles and vllltllres, the largest of the Kansas forms .

S. Eagles, the largest Kansas birds of prey.

6. Harriers, represented in Kansas only bv the Marsh Hawk, one of our most c~mmon and most beneficial birds of prey.

7. Ospreys, represented in Kansas by only one species, and that not com­ mon.

8. Falcons, the most streamlined hawks, with long painted wings, most com­ monly represented in Kansas by the blue-jay sized sparrow hawk.

THE FAMILIES OF HAWKS For those interested in the taxo­ nomic relationships of the hawks, the following checklist of the Kan­ sas species is included . The list is according to Tordoff's Check-list of the Birds of Kansas, which may be obtained for 25 cents from the Mu­ seum of Natural History, Univer­ sity of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas .

Order Falconiformes, Vultures, Hawks, Eagles, Falcons Family Catharthidae, Vultures Catharfes a'ura, Turkev Vulture, throughout state. '

7 Co-ragyps tratus, Black Vulture, once occurred in southeast, but no record since 1885.

Family ACGipitridae, Kites, Hawks, Eagles Elanoides forficatus, Swallow-tailed Kite, formerly summer resident in at least eastern half of state.

Ictirzia 1Tl:isisippiensis, Mississippi Kite, south-central Kansas.

ACCipiter genti/is, Goshawk, rare and irregular winter visitor in east.

Accipiter striat·us, Sharp-shinned Hawk, throughout state.

Accipiter cooperii, Cooper's Hawk, throughout state.

Buteo jamaicerzsis, Red-tailed Hawk, throughout state.

Buteo lineatus, Red-shouldered Hawk, mostly in eastern Kansas.

Buteo platypterlls, Broad-winged Hawk, fairly common in eastern Kansas.

Buteo swainsoni, Swainson's Hawk, more common in western two-thirds of state.

Buteo lagopus, Rough-legged Hawk, winter resident .

Buteo regalis, Ferruginous Rough-leg, corrunon transient and winter resi­ dent in west, rare in east.

Pa-rabuteo tmicirzctus, Harris' Hawk, accidental.

Aquila chrysaetos, Golden Eagle, formerly common resident.

Circus cyaneus, Marsh Hawk, com­ mon in winter, but seen all year throughout the state.

Family Pandionidae, Ospreys Pandion haliaetlls, Osprey, irregularly throughout state.

Family Falconidae, Falcons Falco rusticolus, Gyrfalcon, accidental.

Falco mexican-us, Prairie Falcon, rare summer and fairly common winter resident in west .

Falco pe·regrinus, Duck Hawk, rare transient and winter resident.

Falco columbarius, Pigeon Hawk, un­ common transient and rare winter resident in east.

Falco spamerius, Sparrow Hawk, common resident.

THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SO­ CIETY has a hawk protection circular entitled Hawks Are Yom Friends. It contains silhouettes of common hawks and descriptions of tl1eir food habits and their importance in a wildlife community.

The Society recommends distribution of the circulars to farm and sportsmen's groups, schools, Scout troops, 4-H clubs, and the like. The circulars are available at $8.00 per thousand. An organization ordering as many as 3000 circulars may have its name imprinted without addi­ tional cost. Persons wishing to use these circulars or other information may want to get the bulletin How to Conduct a Hawk or Owl Campaign, available free from the Society. Address: Public Infor­ mation Department, National Audubon SOCiety, 1130 Fifth Ave., New York 28, N.Y.

FOR YOUR LIBRARY Bichard, John, The Hawks of North America, The National Association of Audubon Societies, 1775 Broadway, New York, New York. 1935 Goodrich, Arthur L. Jr., Birds in Kansas, State Board of Agriculture, To· peka, Kansas. 1945.

Palmer, E. Lawrence, Fieldbook of Natu-ral History , McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc., N.Y. 1949 Pearson, Gilbert, Birds of North America, Garden City Publishing Co. , Garden City, N.Y. 1942 Peterson, Roger, A Field GHide to the Birds, Houghton Mifflin Co. , Boston, Mass.

Pough, Richard H., Audubon 'Vater Bird Guide, Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, N .Y. 1951.

Zim, Herbert S. and Ira N. Gabrielson Birds, Simon and Schuster, New York (A Golden Nature Guide) 1949.

Audubon MagaZine, Audubon Soci­ eties, 1775 Broadway, New York, New York.

Natme Magazine, The American Na­ ture Association, 1214 16th Street N.W. , Washington 6, D.C.

8

TUR k E Y VULTURE

MISSISSIPPI KITE.

A C C IPITER

8UTEOS

BALD EAGLE

MARSH HAWK

OSPREY

SPARROW' HAWK

9

1 J

FLIGHT PROFILES Since hawks are frequently seen flying overhead, the flight profiles on the opposite page will help to identify them.

Vultures £oar in large circles, their wings held above the hori­ zontal. The head, being without feathers , is so small that the vulture appear almost headless. The wings are broad and rounded, the tail rather long.

The Mississippi kite, almost the size of a crow, has a medium sized head, pointed wings, and a long notched tail.

The Accipters, two of which (sharp-shinned and Cooper's) are described in this issue, have short rounded wings and long tails. They do not soar much, but dart out after their prey. Typical flight consists of several wing beats, followed by a short glide.

The Buteos, five of which are de­ scribed 111 this issue, are large hawks with broad rounded wings and short rounded tails. They spend much time soaring high in the air.

This group includes some of the most valuable hawks, both in the nation and in Kansas.

The Eagles look like Buteos, but are larger and their wings are longer in proportion to their width.

The wings are held almost precisely horizontal when soaring.

The Marsh hawk, which is the only representative of the Harriers found in Kansas, has long rounded wings and a long rounded tail. The wings are held at an angle above the horizontal when soaring.

The Osprey, which is the onlv member of its family in Kansas, is shaped like a Buteo, but has a

larger tail in proportion to its body size, and has more of a kink or bend at the middle of the wing.

The Falcons, represented in this issue by the sparrow hawk, have long pointed wings and long tails.

In the case of the smaller ones there is practically no soaring, the wing strokes being rapid and continuous.

THIS ISSUE OF The Kansas School Naturalist was prepared by the produc­ tion section of the 1956 Workshop in Conservation. The Workshop, supported by a grant-in-aid from the Kansas Asso­ ciation for Wildlife and the National Wildlife Federation, was a part of the 1956 summer session of the Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia. The com­ mittee in charge consisted of Ruth L. Fox, Allen School, Hutchinson, Kansas, and L. U. West, Planeview High School, assisted by Lee Province, a senior at the college. The drawings are by Sandra Beck, a senior in Emporia High School.

The photographs were taken by E. L. Anderson, of Emporia State's Depart­ ment of Art. THE FRONT COVER PICTURE, taken

by E. L. Anderson, shows a nest of newly hatched marsh h awks near the Lyon County State Lake, 14 miles northeast of Emporia. According to Ted F. An­ drews, Professor of Biology, Kansas State Teachers College, who observed this nest many times from early May until the young hawks left it, this picture, taken May 30, 1956, shows hawks of three ages.

The upper right one was seven days old, the upper left one five days, and the lower center one, one day. The two eggs shown in the picture failed to hatch. The nest was about fourteen inches in di­ ameter; the coarse materials were mostly stems of smartweed, the finer materials grasses an d miscellaneous fibers.

The cartoon on page 6 was redrawn from Glimpses of Kansas Wildlife, a publication of the Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Com­ mission, Pratt, Kansas, 1955.

10

The members of the production section of the 1956 Workshop in Conservation of the Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia, suppOJied by a grant-in-aid from the Kansas Association for Wildlife and the l\ational \VildliJe Federation, prepared textual material and illustrations for four issues of The Kansas School Natwalist-"Hawks ," "Trees," "Spiders," and "Life in a Pond." These issues will appear during the course of the next year.

Front row, left to right: Marie Shrock, Wilmore, grades 5 and 6; Evan Lindquist, Junior, Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia ; William B. Fletcher, Downs High School, Social Science; Paul G. Jantzen, Radium High School, Science.

Middle row: Ruth Louise Fox, Allen School, Hutchinson, 3rd grade; Katie M. Robinson, Cheney, grades 1 to 5; Mrs. Bert Brickell, Flowerhill Farm, Saffordville, Garden Editor of the Emporia Gazette; Carl W. Prophet, Instructor of Biology, Kan­ sas State Teachers College of Emporia; Harland P ankratz, Buhler High School, Science; Ida Mae Cook, Yoder, grades 1 and 2.

Back row : John Breukelman, Director of the Workshop; L. Ulverton West, Plain­ view High School, Science; H. W. Davies, Chapman High School, Biology and Chem­ istry; Frank Darrell Timken, Lansing Rural High School, Science and Social Science; Winjfred E. Utter, Senior, Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia. Not in picture, but participating in part of the workshop, Frances Evans, Coyville, grades 1 and 2; William Chai, Conway Springs High School, Physical Education.

WHAT ABOUT OWLS? "All owls are protected by law (legally speaking) except one-the Great Horned Owl. The owls which we commonly have in Western Kansas are the little screech owl, the monkey-faced owl, the short­ eared owl, the burrOWing owl, and the great-horned owl.

These owls are all great mousers.

While the hawks are diurnal (day­ time) in their food-getting habits, the owls are noctural (night-time) food hunters. So both kinds of ro­

dents and other small mammals ( diurnal and nocturnal) are kept in check by one or the other of these capable' rodent hunters.

The great-horned owl is our largest owl and powerful enough to easily kill a chicken, which it is likely to do if the chicken roosts out in the open.

The burrOWing owl is more or less a day-time owl and lives largely on insects, lizards, snakes, with oc­ casionally a young prairie dog.

With the exception of the great­

11

horned owl the owls are exceed­ ingly beneficial to man. One easy way to determine what an owl eats is to find its roosting or nesting place and there pick up the so­ called pellets which contain the in­ digestible parts (fur and bones) of what they have eaten. These parts are done up in neat little pellets by the digestive tract and regurgi­ tated."

The above is a quotation from Vol. 0, No. 11 of The West Kansan, a monthly leaflet published by The Western Kansas Development Asso­ ciation. This issue, which reached the editor's desk just as we were getting ready to go to print, also contains an article entitled "Good And Bad Hawks" which includes details of the feeding habits of some of the hawks and also some aids to recognition. If interested, write the secretary of the Association, L. D. Wooste;', P.O. Box 581, Hays, Kan­ sas.

PROGRESS IN HAWK PROTECTION In 1899 only five states offered any legal protection to hawks, eagles or owls.

By 1949 thirty states protected all species except the so called "bird hawk" and the homed owl.

Eight states now have laws that are inconsistent with the Federal protection afforded by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; however, as of 1955, only six states fail to protect any hawks or owls. They were Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Rhode Island protects only the osprey.

It is becoming generally recognized that it is ecologically unsound to classify any wildlife species categorically as "harmful" since each has its function in maintaining a healthy wildlife com­ munity. Control should be undertaken

"Hawks" committee of 1956 Workshop examine Red-tailed Hawk. only in cases where specific damage to health, crops, livestock, or property is involved.

Most state laws still exempt from pro­ tection the Accipiters or "bird hawks," as well as horned owls, thus reflecting the idea that bird species should cate­ gorically be listed as "harmful" or "bene­ ficial." As a result, little attempt is made to enforce the laws in many areas, be­ cause, in general, the only people who can distinguish between the protected and the unprotected hawks are those who would not shoot them anyway. A violator brought into court often pleads that he thought he was shooting a harmful hawk, and usually the case is dropped.

In order to reduce the slaughter of hawks that are funneled into narrow flight lanes during migration, some con­ servationists have proposed that all hawks be protected, by an act of Congress, dur­ ing the periods from September 1 to November 30 and from March 1 to April 30. Hawks would then be under state jurisdiction except during these periods, which include most of their migration.

Probably the most significant develop­ ment of the past decade is the passing of laws in Connecticut, Michigan, and In­ diana, protecting all species of hawks and owls except when they are doing specific damage. Some other states and Canadian provinces are also working to secure similar laws.

12 Common Name

TURKEY VULTURE

Scient ific Name

Cathartes aura

DESCRIPTION

EGGS AND NEST

RANGE

FOOD

MISSISSIPPI

Ictinia

KITE

misisippi e nsis

SHARP-SHINNED

HAWK

Accipit er striatus

L en gth, 2 \6 feet; spread , 6 feet. Tail long and round, wings \V hen folded r each beyo nd tip of tail. Head an d upper portion of n e ck bare or with only a f e w bristles. with sk in deeply corrugated.

H ead h as r eddish tinge with shades of whi te and blue: feath e r s dull g'ra yi l5 h. brown . Bil l dull wh itis h . a nd fe e t flesb co lored.

Length 1 3 to 17 in c hes. spread 3 <1 to 37 il1ch e ~. Color blui s h ",ray. Ii~ht e r on head. neck and upper par t of wings. dark er on s houlders and lowe r part oC win~ s: tail black . sq uare en ded o r s li g hth' notched : eyes r ed: legs vermillion or o r ange.

Length: male. 11 inc hes. f e male. J :) inches. \Ving- varies from 23 to 27 inc h es.

Color above. dark bluis h. \\' hite : belo w, white. T a il square or sl i ~ht ly n o tched at , tip.

Commonly 2 e ggs . s ometim es 1 and rarely 3: ,.... h ite crea m y , vario usly s potted wi th lavender or purplish brown.

Nest fr om Februa r y to June in cavities between r oc ks, h ol ­ low logs , or on t h e g r ou nd ; sometimes in ca ves.

N ests in high tr ee top s, often in old nests of other s pec ies , lined wit h Spanish m oss or green leaves: 2 to 3 pale bluis h~ green un ­ marl<ed eggs, some ­ times w it h fain t spots or sta ins.

A nest containing 4 to 5 dull blui s h or g re enis h w h ite , wit h blotches of brown of vary in g sizes is found in conifers or rar e ly on ledg es o f rock s bui lt o f sma ll sticks lin e d wi th lea ves or bark. Th e n es t is large for a bird of this size.

R arely nests in Kan­ sas.

Most of the United States , and So u th e rn Ca nada : t hrou gho ut Kansas .

R anges from centraJ Un ited States to Florida a nd Gulf States; sum mer r es i­ de n t in south central Kan sas.

Breeds thr oughout th e Uni te d States and Canada . In Kans as, co mm on in winte r.

M a inl y carrion (dead nes h l. but a lso snal,es, toad s . rats an d mice. Highly beneficial as a scavenger.

Large beet les , g r ass ­ hopp e r s , locusts, liza rd s, sma H snakes and fr ogs.

Smaller birds, s m a ll poultry, inse cts. espeeially grass­ h oppe r s and m oth s.

Uph o lds the tradition Long wingeo and Ugly except i n flight , grace ful in fljght ; of h aw ks for destruc ­ it is an invaluabl e tiveness.

A per s isten t often seen sai lin g in h ea lt h prote ctor in campaign o f educa ­ eusy circles at a great wa rm la titudes where tion. teachin:! diF.e r­ h eig h t, or sometimes it f eed s on carrion, e nc e oe t w ee n sweep ing al o ng li ke a bei ng guided t o its de s tructiv e and " a l­ swallow over 'wooded food by s e nse of ua b le Hawk~. is waterways. Its g-en ­ s ig ht- n o s m ell. necessa r y. Thi s hawk e ral bluis h ton e . wit h What i t lac ks in and Couper' s h awk lig h te r , a lm ost w hi te beauty and grace ECOLO GICAL are ge nerally h ar mful h ea d, da rk ~ r wings a foot it compe n sates HADTTS and not protecte d i n and b la ck fall-:;:.hnp ed for when on the wing . m os t states. tail, ea~,;jly dis­ Its circling form. on tinguished in fli g ht. motio nless, widely Becall~e of consider ­ outstretc h ed wings is able e:)tbetic and common in the K an ­ sci e nt ifi c " alue it sas skyscap e. The s h ould be given com ­ vulture soars f or plete protection. hours a t g r eat h e ig hts scanning the groun d with its _________________~~k~ ee~n~~~ e y~es ~.~_____~_ _ __ _________~--____________~

13 . COOPER'S

HAWK.

Accipiter cooperii

RED-TAILED HAWK

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK

BROAD- WINGED HAWK

Bu teo jamaicensis

Buteo Hneatus

Buteo platypteru5

Length, 18 to 20 inches; spread, 30 to 36 inches; female larger, Short winged. long tailed; not quite as large as a crow.

Blue-gray back. rusty breast. Head darker shade than Sharp­ Shinned.

Len gth , to 2 feet; wing-spread, to 56 inches; weight. to 4 pounds. Male smaller than female. Heavy appear ing , with broad wings. Tail of adult. red above and little rounded. Dusky gray above . with lighter wings; yellow white. beneath. Band across belly, brown streaked.

Much individual variation.

Length, 18 to 24 inches; spread, 44 to 50 inche~. Female oHen larger than the male. Weight. to 3 pounds. Gray brown. with r.eddish brown underparts. Reddish shoulder feathers, and tail with 4 to 5 brownish-black bars.

One of the smallest of the Buteos. The male is 14 to 17 inches long with a 32 to 3 8 wing spread; female slightly larger. Color: dark g rayish -bro wn above. below whitish hea vily barred with brown. throat white. wings silvery. Tail with 2 or 3 broad white bands.

A bulky nest high in trees used several years, add to each year; may even ap­ propriate an old crow's nest. Eggs 3 to 6, pale-bluish or greenish-white, some­ times plain, but usually spotted with pale reddish brown.

Nest large and bulky, of coarse sticks, 30 to 40 feet above ground in tree, or on cliff.

Eggs, 2 to 4 dull white, irregularly marked with cin­ namon brown. 2.50 by 2 inches. Incuba­ tion , 28 days. by fe­ male. Young blind , slight ly downy, helpless when hatched.

The nest a large bulky structure en­ tirely of sticks, COn­ taining 3 to 5 dull white or bluish white eggs , blotched with yellowish brown. May be found in the lofty forks of an elm birch, map le, or beech (sel­ dom in a conifer tree). Nests are used year after year.

Usually in crotches of trees from IOta 80 feet above ground.

Coarsely constructed of sticks. lined with small roots. bark, moss or feathers.

Sometimes decorated with green sprigs .

Lay 2 to 5 eggs very pale greenish or grayish white heavi1y marked with brown spots.

All of United States and southern third of Canada; nesting in eastern half of Kan­

sas .

Eastern North America from Gulf 01 Mexico to northern Canada. including all of Kansas.

Eas tern North America, from Nova Scot ia to Gulf Coast, including all of Kan­ sas. but more com ­ mon is eastern part of state.

From Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to Florida and Gulf of MexiCO, and to Great Plain s. Fairly com­ mon in eastern Kan. sas.

Largely birds , either small birds or the young of larger birds, also some field mice and ground squirre ls.

Squirrels, mice , rab­ bits, insects and snakes. Se ldom at­ tacks poultry or other birds.

Mice. ground squir­ rels and other ro­ dents; seldom attacks pou )try or other birds.

Grasshoppers, frogs , toads, crayfish, snakes. mice and other rodents; seldom eats poultry.

Probably the most destructive of all hawks; not because it is individually worse. but because this species is more num­ erous than others.

Fierce when hungry: darts in suddenly for its prey. Like the sharp -shinned hawk, not protected in Kansas.

Moves slowly, often perching on a limb watching for mice and ground squi rrels to feed its young. In flight, shows con­ spicuous white area on breast, with streaks to rear, and unbanded tail in adult. Protected by law in many states; s hould be in all.

Probably as much as 75 % of its food is harmful rodents.

Whether soaring high and s lowly or perched conspiciously upon a high perc h near the open. may be id enti­ fied by the rufous shoulder patch. the upper surface of wing is visible when circling. Probab ly about 90 % of its food is harmful ro­ dents and insects.

Gregarious in migra­ tion, flights of hundreds being ob ­ served at certain spots in Appalachian Mountains. One of the tamest of hawks.

Often seen s ittin g On tree branches; soars little and for on ly short periods of time.

Would be highly beneficial in Kansas if it were more numerous.

14 Common Name

SWAINSON'S HAWK

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK

GOLDEN EAGLE

Scientific Name

Buteo swainsoni

Buteo lagopus

Aquila chrysaetos

DESCRIPTION

EGGS AND NEST

RANGE

FOOD

ECOLOGICAL HABITS

Length, 20 to 22 inches; femal e s lig htly larger th an male. Spread 47 to 57 inches; male a gray ­ is h brown, lighter o n rum p. tail gray, shad­ ing to white at base: fore h ead, thin and throat white, breast bright c hestnut with dark bands: und er­ parts silvery white or cream colored.

Length. 19 t.o 2 ,1 inches: spread, 52 to 56 inch"". About the she of the R ed ·tailed Hawk. but lighter , with mor e slend(>I' feet. and long E' r , more pointed wing's.

Feather~ o f le~ ii ex ­ tf!ndin~ to thl;! toe~.

Upper pluma ge ~ray­ ish brown mar g in e d with whitish and buffy: wings and tail barred with gray and whitish.

Three feet in length with a 7 to 7 'h foot spread; plumage is dark brown, legs, feathered to the toes, back of head is pale yellow w hile a broad white band s tretche s across t h e tail. Turn grayish with old age.

Nests may be in bushes or on ledge s , but generally in the tallest tr{"es towa rd the end of horizontal branches; constructed of small branches and twigs, lined with lea ves. Eggs 2 to 4, white, greenish white. or buffy white, usually spotted or blotched with r edd ish brown.

Nest a bulky struc­ ture of interlined s ti c ks. grasses and weeds lined with finer grasses, located in large trees or on ledges. used yea r ofter year. From 2 to 5 dingy white to buffy white eggs, sprinkled with blotches of brown.

Nests in tall trees, or I)n cliffs, built with large twigs. Nests llsed year after year with new material each year until the nest may be 7 feet thick and 6 feet wide; 2 or 3 eggs, w hite, marked with bold spots.

Alaska down through Rocky Mountain region, to Mexico .

Throughout Kansas. nesting more com­ monly in western two thirds.

Arctic: winter from edge of Canada to North Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas.

Migrates south to Mexico. Wi nters throughout Kansas, not more common in western part.

Restricted largely t o mountain regions of the west: formerly common throughout Ka nsas ; now seen mostly in western part in winter.

Ground squirrels, frogs, meadow mice and other sma ll rodents.

Field mice, l'abbits, occasionally smull birds.

Squirrels, rabbits, fawns. woodchucks. waterfowl. It some­ times carries off poultry.

Prefers open praIrieS, coursing over them in a rather sluggish. circling flight until prey is observed when it s uddenJ y is transformed into an alert and sk illful hunter. Tame enough to be closely ap­ proached by ro a n ; easiest hawk to photograph.

Fa vorite huntin g grou nd is th e open coun try where rabbits and other winter ro­ dents are common.

Flight noi seless; often mistal<en for an O\vl, since it h unts afte r dark. Would be more beneficial if it were present during the summer.

A succes sf ul hunter. seldom, if ever, eat­ ing carrion. May in one region extermin­ ate or control ro­ dents. w hile in an­ other it destroys valuable wi ldlife.

Probably more bene­ ficial than harmful in nearly all areas.

15 BALD EAGLE

MARSH HAWK

OSPREY

Haliaeetus leucocephal

Circus cyaneus

Pandion haliaetus

SPARROW

HAWK

Falco sparveriu5

Length; male, 30 to 35 inches, female 34 to 43 inches. Wing spread 6 to 8 feet.

Leg bare for an inch or more above base of toes; plumage dark brown or black with freckles of white. Tail white.

Head white after the third year.

Larger than cro\\!.

Male gray with clack wing tips, sil­ very white beneath.

Female streal<ed, brownish, lighter be­ low. Both have white rump, which is the best recognition fea­ ture in the field. Tail long, barred with black. Wings long, narrow, rou nded.

Length, to 25 inches; 72 inches. Female somewhat larger than male. Weight to 5 pounds. Dark brown above, sometimes with white on top of head, but not on back of neck; usually, white below.

ilIale, length, 11 inches: wing-spread, 22 inches. Female, length. 12 inches; wing-spread, 25 inches. \Veight. 4 ounces. Our smallest and handsomest hawk. Crown, ash­ blue; conspicuous h lack patch on side of head. Tail, bright red-brown, with nar­ row black bars.

Nests either on the ground, in tall trees or niches in rocky cliffs, built of large size sticks, weeds and bits of turf lined with grass; 2, rarely 3 large ivory white, granular surfaced eggs. One egg often larger than other.

N es t on grou nd, made of twigs and grasses.

Eggs, 4 to 6, dull, bluish white, 1.75 by 1.4 inches; incuba­ tion, by both parents, begins before full set is laid, one yearly brood. Young blind, helpless when hatched

Nests, year after year, in same site, adding to old nest on pole, tree or g"rou nd.

Eggs 2 to 4, dull white, with chocolate brown markings. No nesting record in Kansas.

Nests in cavities in trees or ledges; chip-lined or bare.

Eggs, 8 to 7. white to brownish, with finely shaded areas, 1.4 by 1.12 inches.

Incubated, by both sexes, 29 to 30 days.

Found along water areas from Alaska to Cen tral Mexico.

Breeds throughout entire range. Fairly common in winter in western Kansas, when large numbers may gather to roost.

Throughout United States, also in Ha­ waii and the Barbados. Common throughout Kansas, more in winter than in summer.

Widely distributed over North America.

Found from Alaska to the Gulf States. Seen irregularly through­ out Kansas, usually in spring and fall.

Breeds throughout North America east of Rockies, including all of Kansas.

Fish (either freshly ca ugh t or dead), rab­ bi,ts, squirrels, mice. waterfowl.

Mice, rabbits, ground squirrels, frogs, snakes, and insects.

Varies with season and local conditions.

Fish, taken alive or found dead along shores.

Summer: grasshop­

pers, insects,

spiders, and reptiles.

Winter: mostly mice,

occasionally small

birds.

While soaring high in the air in search for food, can see 2 or 3 miles. In flight or at rest the Bald Eagle is majectic, its white head and tail lending dignity to its impos­ ing form. It is our National Bird.

An interesting bird to watch, as it ft.ies low over meadows, often hunting up and down shallow valleys.

When flying, body tilts from side to side as the bird turns. Conspicuous enough, with white rump, to be recog­ nized by most people as being different from other hawks.

Highly beneficial throughout the state.

Expert fishermen: technique of captur­ ing prey interesting to see. Flapping along fifty or more feet above the water, the bird spots a fish, closes its wings, plunges headfirst, and hits the water with such momentum that it often goes out of sight.

A useful species; destroys large num­ bers of mice and in­ sects. The only Kan­ sas hawk that hovers in one spot, on rapidly beating wings. Commonly seen on telephone poles along the roadside; small enough to be mis­ taken for some of the larger song birds.

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, send us a letter or card telling us both your old address and your new one. The Kansas School Naturalist is sent bv second-class mail, which cannot be f01:­ warded.

This is the upper left one of the hawks shown on the front cover-almost two months later. Vlhen this picture was taken, the hawk, a female, was about eight weeks old.

Two members of The Kansas School Na­ turaJist editorial committee are on leave during the 1956-57 school year to do gradu­ ate work.

Dixon Smith, assistant professor of social science, has a Danforth Teacher Grant to work toward his Ph.D . in geography at the University of Minnesota. These grants, which are awarded only to college teachers, involve no teaching or research on the part of re­ cipients.

Helen Douglass, assistant professor of edu­ cation, is doing graduate work at the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tenn. She is on sabbatical leave.

IT IS NOT TOO EARLY to plan to at­ tend the 1957 Workshop in Conservation, which will be a part of the 1957 summer session at Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia, during the early part of June.

The Workshop will cover soil and water, grassland, and wildlife conserva­ tion. Such topics as geography and climate of Kansas, water resources, soil erosion and erosion control, grass as a resource, bird banding, conservation clubs, conservation education, and wild­ flowers of Kansas will be discussed . There will be lectures, demonstrations, discus­ sion groups, films, slides, field trips, pro­ jects, and individual and g;'oup reports.

You may enroll for either undergraduate or graduate credit.

Exact d ates, fees and other details will appear in further issues of KSN; for in­ formation write the director of the 'Work­ shop, John Breukelman, KSTC, Emporia, Kansas.

FUTURE ISSUES OF KSN Copy and pictures of four issues of The Kansas School Naturalist were pre­ pared by the 1956 Workshop in Con­ servation- Hawks, Spiders, Trees, and Life in a Pond. A second issue devoted to Children's Books for Nature Study is almost complete; most of the books have been selected and the annotations writ­ ten. Considerable work has been done on Summer Wildflowers, and preliminary plans have been made for Fossils. The exact sequence of these issues has not yet been decided. If you have suggestions for future issues, send them to the editor.

FILMS Birds of Prey; life habits of owls, hawks, vultures, eagles, including nesting and feeding; black-and-white, 11 minutes.

Great Horned Owl; nesting, eggs, young, feeding; black-and-white, 11 minutes.

Birds That Eat Flesh; hawks and owls, what they eat, and how; color, 6 minutes.