Evening star., 1937-06-12

A few 'black sheep" species Of hawks
are to blame for the bad reputation OF
the whole family.
Most hawks are moderate in their ap-
petites, beneficial to farmers and models
of upright avian behavior in their other
activities, according to a monograph on
North American birds Of prey by Arthur
Cleveland Bent, just issued by the Smith
sonian Institution.
Mr.. Bent has studied hawks for nearly
half century. A few appear to be un-
mitigated scoundrels who kill wantonly-
almost for sport. Others only kill to eat.
Some, such as the marsh hawk, seem
to delight in cruelty for It's own sake and
will play with a victim much as a cat
plays with mouse. Thus Mr.. Bent cites
one case where a marsh hawk was OBJ
served to drop a horned lark which it
had captured seven or eight times and
each time pounce on it again.
This particular bird is very pugnacious
and does not even hesitate to attack a
man who ventures close to its nest. Il
have had them dash at my head re-
peatedly," says Mr.. Bent, land keep 1t
up as long as I was anywhere near the
nest" One case is cited where such q
hawk attacked man mile away. The
bird is, he says, IAN intolerant, aggressive
and pugnacious defender Of its home
territory, as every one knows who has
ever attempted to invade its precincts"
One Of the good hawks" is the COM
mon red-shouldered hawk OF the Eastern
United States and Southern Canada.
Among all the birds OF prey. Mr.. Bent
says, it is the great home lover. Pairs
presumably are mated for life. One such
couple will appropriate certain ter
ritory, such as small woodland, fight
of zealously any trespassers, and build
their nests there every Spring for nearly
half century.
"The outstanding feature Of our expert
ences with the red-shouldered hawk"
says Mr.. Bent, 'is the constancy with
which each pair, or its continuation, has
clung to its chosen territory In spite Of
the annual robbing of its nest and the
cutting down of one portion after another
of It's woodland home. AS long as there
are any trees suitable for nesting pur-
poses the hawks will remain in the
vicinity
Mr.. Bent tells of four pairs which he
mas observed near Ills OWL IlOIle. Lie
nests of three of these have been located
in the same area year after year, with
occasional breaks, since 1882. For the
other pair there is a broken record ex
tending back to 1872. These are not
necessarily the same birds, he stresses
When one of pair is killed the survivor
soon finds another mate, but continues
in the old territory.
These hawks build substantial
"home." The building requires four or
five weeks and the completed structure Is
good for several years. The nest is made
of small twigs interviewer with strips Of
bark, twigs Of evergreens, dry leaves, etc,
and is neatly lined with finer shreds of
bark, soft moses and lichens, and fresh
sprigs Of pine, cedar or hemlock. The
inner cavity is about eight inches in
diameter. The birds seem to delight In
building. Often they will build new nests
Spring after Spring and sometimes two in
a season. But they are likely to return
to an old nest at any time-even after 4
lapse of ten years.
When pair intend to use an old nest
they stick up mo trespassing notice"
early In the season by marking 1t with
fresh spring of evergreen Curiously
enough, the hawk is very tolerant to the
barred owl which hunts in the same ter
ritory. Sometimes the owl is even al
lowed to lay its eggs In the hawks nest,