The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-04-28
Written for The Constitution, Jr.

Oh Georgia.
BEING inclined to observe the habits OF
birds and animals. trust that my obserVa-
tionS may be interesting to others who
have not enjoyed such opportunities.
My intention is to write entirely of OBJ
servations made by myself that have not
heretofore been written of by others, so
far as 1 am aware of the habits Of our
birds of prey.
This will include only birds of prey that
inhabit the state of Georgia, and is con-
fined to observations personal or so closely
connected herewith to make ME assured
of the truth of that which | write
The first and foremost bird of this series
is the eagle We have but two varieties
in this state-the golden and white-headed
or bald eagle. The first is mountain
bird. very rare and my observation OF 1t
has been very limited. The bald eagle IS
often seen especially near the sea coast.
It's rapacity and robbery of the fish hawk
Of it's prey is well known. but that 1t Will
also follow other hawks and rob them OF
birds they have caught l have also OBJ
served This character, added to It's Vul-
tUre-like habits, was the cause of the earn
est protest Of Benjamin Franklin against
1t being placed upon our national coat OF
arms.
This wise and practical man proposed to
substitute our native American bird-the
turkey, but his views We're not conculFeu
In by his liberty-loving colleagues. IL
would probably have been we'll had the
golden eagle Of the mountains been placed
upon our national ensign, as II Is a Sicd OF
better carriage and character.
The next strongest diurnal bird OF prey
that we have is the red-ta1l hawk. rms
hawk when in full VigOr, will attack ana
kill a fox squirrel. ] have often wondered
why it was that an animal with skin SO
tough as squirrel did not often severely
bite the hawks and disable them. L
hov
the fear of the gray Carolina squirrel OF
this hawk and for a long time supposed tllat
when caught by the hawk he was SO paral-
wed as to be in the situation described py
DR.. Livingstone as his condition when pros
trate and wounded with a lions paw upon
him. A freedom from pain and utter sur
render. But a short time since l captured
a squirrel from red tailed hawk. Soon
after it was killed and [ found that the
hawk had caught the squirrel by the heao
anG that he first destroyed life by attack
ing this portion of the body, thus avoluing
the sharp teeth Of animal capable OF
successfully resisting small dog
On one occasion | obtained the same day
two hawks, the one a marsh hawk or har-
ES-. 1ile other a red tall each with broken
wing They were placed together in a
r~A:-.t II an clubhouse, and very soon the
red tail killed and ate the barrier.
The Cos hawk, bird whose mode Of life
is different from the red tail, while not as
large, is more Courageous bird, and is
not at all afraid of the red tail. On one
occasion / a Cos hawk with pigeon
in his taIons attacked by a red tail, bat
he refused to abandon his prey, and sue
cessfully resisted all attacks. l once saw
a flock of wild turkeys, all full grown birds,
hudded together in great CONSERVATION by
the appearance of a goS hawk on stake
in the field very near them. 1 felt assured
that they expected an attack and had not
my enthusiasm as a hunter overcome my
zeal as a naturalist, might have witnessed
rhe encounter The amount of food re
uuired and consumed daily by this type OF
swift-t1ying, courageous hawks from the
small sharp shin to the Cos hawk Is enor-
nous. l once had a cage OF three OF
them taken from the nest and they con-
sunled and seemed to require at least their
weight in flesh each day. On neglecung
to feed them beyond the usual time one or
them was killed. and eaten by the others
They seemed to be untamable. nature
has provided them with flight and muscular
power superior t. other birds and they ae-
stroy all kinds of the feathered tribe that
come before them. l am satisfied that this
character of hawks often kill birds that they
are unable 10 lift in their talons.
On one occasion | saw a pigeon naWk
grasp a Mallard duck as it was descending
above the trees of the forest and fall with
it to the water. where the duck escaped
/ VIVA
ing the duck in it's talOnS. The reStleSSneSS
OF this variety of haWk is very marked as
compared with the WatchfuI patience or
the slow flying swoopers from the red tau
to the sparrow hawk. l have noticed the
power of vision of this last class of hawks
and conceive it to be very remarkable On
one occasion a large graSshopper lit near
ne and | observed d sparrow hawk more
than hundred yards distant see and Sc
cure it.
The power of hawks to note by the flight
of birds whether they are wounded or
not | have often noted.
| have seen the sparrow hawk attack a
wounded tlackbird that it would not have
attempted to master had it not been
wounded. / have known the small strike
10 attack and kill wounded dove. l have
also seen the red tail hawk fly to obtain
q wounded dove. Neither of these birds of
prey would attack dove unless the dove
was wounded for the reason that they are
not capable by flight Of securing them.
The smallest of our birds Of prey, the
strike, or as it is often called, loggerhead
butcher bird, etc, 1 have seen perfom the
most daring acts 1 noticed a bird Of this
kind flying backward and forward close to
tl,n art| for unit DpriOf of