The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-20
WHEN EAGLES BUILD.
now THE BIG BIRDS PLAN IN
MOUNTAIN wILDERNEssEs.

From the wilderness Young
birds often Mistaken for Hawks.
Church Creek (AId) Letter in Baltimore
sun.
At the tops of tail old trees In the heart
Of swamps and heavy woodland situated
usually IN the vicinity of water, the bald
eagle builds. Its great mass of tangled
roots and decayed branches from the sur
rounding trees. or driftwood from the
shores, is a conspicuous landmark for
many miles around. Several carloads of
wood are frequently used in the construc-
ton, and some of the eyries are occupied
by the same birds for years. From two
to three eggs of dull white color and
slightly larger than the domestic duck
egg are deposited by the eagles in Feb
ruary and March, and the young birds
come out of the shells in time to get the
benefit of the great run OF FISH in the wa
ters of the bay early in the spring. the
food of the young birds consists mainly
of fish, wild fowls and occasionally small
animals.
The eagles habit of robbing the fish
hawk of its wel-earned prey is character
istic of its foraging propensites FREE
quently when hungry the great birds fol-
low the fishhawk, and as the hawk arises
from the water after a plunge, with a
cry the eagle sweeps downward upon the
unfortunate fisher and causing him to
drop his prey, WILL with a sudden motion.
grasp the fish in its talons and soaring
upward, leave the Inflated hawk scream
ing with rage below him. The eagles bully
the fishhawks to such an extent that the
poor birds are afraid to meet their tor
mentors and begin to cry out In most
pathetic manner when the eagles appear.
As scavengers about the shores of the
bay and its tributaries, the eagles arc
somewhat akin to the vultures, as they
appropriate the dead fish and other flesh
which is washed up by the waves.
Hunting for Food.
Although much Of the eagles prey comes
with but little exertion, there are times
when 1t becomes necessary for them 10
work for food. The great birds have been
known, when pressed by hunger. to swoop
down upon fiocks of ducks brant and even
wild geese, selecting a particular fowl as
the flock scattered, and, giving chase, us
ually securing the quarry after a flight OF
several hundred yards. Wounded ducks
and other smaller wild fowl are legitimate
prey for the eagles, and on the fresh wa
ter marshes muskrats which are left in
traps after sunrise are frequently appro-
priated. Domestic fowls also suffer from
raids of the eagles, and as the farmers
are constantly on the watch for a shot at
the great birds the species Is rapidly di-
minishing Along the water courses of the
Eastern shore are favorite haunts of the
eagles, and many nests are in the vicinity
of the streams. Marketing the large tim
Der has destroyed many of the best nest
ing sites and few very old nests now re-
main in the state.
The bird commonly known as black
eagles are the young during their first
year when the plumage lacks the white
head and tail which adorns the adult. Dur
ing the second year the erroneous name Of
gray eagles is commonly applied 10 the
birds, and they do not attain the plum
age marks of maturity until the third
moulting season.
Building the Nests.
At the top of tall trees on which the
branches grow sparsely a mass of sticks,
leaves, moss and roots seem to be dumped
promlscuously into a great pile at the in
tersection of the highest limbs. Viewed
from the top the nest presents a different
aspect and the skill and patient labor
manifested in the compact mass of crooked
sticks and roots have given II a really ar
tistic curve about the symmetrical cup In
which the eggs are laid. In any large area
of heavy timber situated somewhat re-
motely the birds build and If disturbed and
broken up will build and lay again. The
young remain In the nest until they be-
come larger than their parents and be-
come very fat on the rats, squirrels, moles
and other small rodents and reptiles
which form the usual diet of both these
species of hawk.
Occasionally raids upon the barnyards
have gained for them the name of hen or
chicken hawk, and the enmity OF the
farmer. The red-tail is much more adj
dicted TO the poultry habit than its rela-
tive, but through their similarity of APP
pearance the chicken raisers do not dis
eliminate between them, and the red
shouldered, which rarely approaches the
poultry yard, is frequently hunted down
for the misdeeds Of another species.
In the lowlands and deep, inaccessible
swamps, where the trees grow thick and
water covers the ground during the win
ter and spring, the great horned owls are
at home. They can be heard uncannily
hooting in the dark recesses OF the wood
land just after New Years the Owls
begin looking about for a building site.
In the depths of a convenient hollow or
upon the old nest of a crow or hawk the
owls after much patching to suit their
individual tastes, some time during Feb
ruary, deposit their clutch of two or three
white, globular eggs.
PeriIs From the snow.
Close sitting is required during incuba-
ton at this cold season, and instances
have been noted where during violent
snowstorm both the nest and incubating
bird have been covered with several
inches of snow. Many eggs are de-
stroyed by the crows, who suck them.
The owls which choose the hollows for
their nesting sites escape this source OF
danger, and IL is strange that more OF
the species do not utilize these natural
tree cayities.
The young owls when Matched are white
and resemble balls of thistle down. Small
animals, birds and reptiles are included In
the bill of fare of the owls, and their
nocturnal foraging often brings them into
contact with abe poultry yards.
The barred owl is closely allied In habits
to the great horned. nesting about the
same time and under like conditions. An
al sence of the long ear tufts and round
humanlike face are characteristics of the
species. The deep-toned, mirthless laugh
ter of the barred owls which inhabit the
remote swamps of the Eastern shore
makes a great impression upon the super
stitious colored persons living in their
vicinity and frequently cause the wood
land to be dubbed haunted" in their cat
egory of places they refuse to approach
after uiRhtfall