Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-24
IS TT A GOSHAWK?
Unknown Bird Trapped By ROyalton
Man Resembles Rare Species.
(From the Newport Express.)

(From the Newport Expressly
albert Gagne Of Royalton hill re-
Gently caught in a trap what seems to me
to be that rather rare bird. the American
Goshawk. but others think differently.
Now all We birds students. please listen.
and name the bird"
From beak tip to tail tip. 1t measures
about "a inches: Widespread. about IS
inches. Upper parts blue-gray. touched
with brown. The long tail. which spreads
ID inches, is darker. barred with nearly
black and is rounded at the end. The tail
underneath is lighter. but barred. The
undertail coverts are white. The crown
is black. A rather wide white line runs
over the eye. and nearly around the
crown. The area back of the eye is black
The strong black beak is hooked. Above
it, is bare space of a yellowish green
color. Near the head. on one side and
below. the beak is a light lead color. From
beak to undertail coverts, all underparts
are white. closely crossed with fine gray
lines. and marked with regular short dark
(perlaps black) stripes. far apart. The
young man had to hold the legs and neck
firmly, so cannot tell about the feather
ing The lower legs are yell,w, claws
strong and black. The wings are lighter
beneath and barred
1.-THE bird was roughened by his strug-
giles but was very handsome eti.l. Albert
noted that the dark blue-sray feathers
Of the back had a narrow bovd,- Of black.
and black midrib that the long feathers
of the wing and of the uprer-tail covcrts
had the wider side beautifully notified
with white. concealed except when the
feathers were moved: that the eyes were
deep golden. the nostrils were within the
yellow-green skin-cap Of the beak. The
wings are darker at the tips and rather
short and rounding. When startled the
bird made sharp thrilling cry. / have
never seen a fiercer expression thin that
OF th.a bird. The young man had a hard
struggle to capture 1t. and only secured It
by throwing his coat over 1t, and protec-
ting his hands and legs doubly. The bird
was full of fight after capture. though
treated with kindness. He threw him
self OH his back in his box. having claws
and beak ready for immediate uss Once
when released he started for his keeper
on the offensive. He has grown less
fierce and IL at present writing at Cliff
fords drug store In Bethel.
"The question arises. Is It lawful to kill.
sell. or keep in captivity this winter yisi-
| tor?
will someone reply through tho Free
Press am ture many will be interested"
-Elizh j.. Miller Of Bethel in Burlington
| Free Press.
The American Goskawk, more frequent
ly called the Blue Hen Hawk. Is not a
rare bird, but one that is becoming quite
scarce now that the forests are melting
away. They are hawk that remain
with us through the winter. approaching
the haunts Of civilization when forced to
do so in cases Of extreme hunger. Their
markings vary according to age, and are
similar in both male and female. The
description given is that of an adult bird
In winter. In full plumage. They are a
large. handsome hawk. of splendid spirit.
and terror to the poultry yard. They
can be easily distinguished from other
hawks by their blue and dark markings.
Another hawk that runs into the slaty-
plumbeous or dark BLUSH shades. 10
the Duck or Great-Footed Hawk; but
they generally abide by waters and nest
in high cliffs and can be easily distin-
guished from other species. In our pri-
vate collection Of Vermont birds. we have
two or more specimens OF Goshawks
captured In winter. and one tallies with
the bird Elisa Miller describes.