Page:Condor8(6).djvu/14

 Nov., x9o6 ] NESTINtl- )F THE RED-BELLIED HAWK I45 tion of the nest there is never any attempt at it. The nest is generally about 50 feet from the ground, the height de- pending largely on the size of the surrounding trees, and may be an old crov's or hawk's nest remodelled. or an elabor- ate structure of the bird's own composition. If un- disturbed the same nest will often be occupied year after year: but the birds generally have a second or third nest in reserve and vill alter- nate, almost invariably prefer the shelter of the groves where their shrill scream is a common bird note, particularly during the nesting season. They are the noisiest of all our hawks. The cry is a short snapping bark or scream, repeated again and again, very differ- ent from the long drawn out "ku-e-e-e-ah" of the red-tail, and more resembling the cry of the Cooper hawk but easily distinguishable from it. Unlike the other large hawks the red-bellied does not seek a commanding situ- ation for its nest. It is unusual to find them nesting in isolated trees, and it is very seldom the nest is visible from any greaf distance as is often the case with the red-tail and Swainsou hawks. The preference is for some fairly thick willow and cottonwood grove and they have a great fondness for Eucalyptus groves, making their nests at times on the masses of bark that have sloughed off and collected in some large crotch of the main branches. These nests are, as a rule, very vell con- cealed and only flushing the bird, or the sight of the handsomely barred tail over the edge, gives proof of what is there. This concealment, however, can hardly be considered as deliberate, for beyond the fact of the choice of a thick growing tree or a grove for the loca- doing so if a first clutch of eggs is taken. rhere the gray Spanish moss is con- venient to the nesting place a great deal of that is used in the lining and often the long streamers will hang down over the edge giving a very pleasing appearance. The use of green leaves is a peculiarity of this species and it is very seldom one finds a nest finished or containing eggs where fresh leaves are not in evidence. These are generally of the same tree in which the nest is situated and are reuewed from time to time until the eggs are hatched. I have found them in nests th eggs in all stages of incubation. After the young appear the practice is discon- tinued, the nest soon gets flattened out, and with hungry mouths to feed there is little time--if there is inclinationsfor the enjoyment of the merely beautiful. One does not need to look many times into a hawk's nest containing young at dinner-time, which is practically all the time, to realize how ve eat is their economic value. In this section, where rabbits, squirrels and gophers are plentiful, there are no birds that should be protected more vigorously than the Raptores of all spies. Most of the ranch ownera appreciate their benefit, but there is ways the unwfll-