National Museum, 18; Philadelphia Academy, 6; Boston Society, 3; New
York Museum, 2 (Caraccas); Museum, Cambridge, 2; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 5;
Coll. R. Ridgway, 2. Total, 38.
_Measurements._
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
|Sex.| Wing. | Tail. | Culmen. | Tarsus. |Middle Toe.|Specimens.|
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♂ | 9.85–10.70| 6.50–7.00| .70–.00|2.15–2.80| 1.20–1.38| 11 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♀ |11.00–11.40| 7.00–8.00| .70–.78|2.20–2.70| 1.30–1.40| 14 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
HAB. Eastern North America southward along Gulf coast through Louisiana,
into Mexico and Central America; Cuba, Ecuador, Upper Amazon, Caraccas
(N. Y. Museum).
Localities: Ecuador, winter (SCL. 1858, 451); Orizaba (SCL. 1857, 211);
Upper Amazon (SCL. 1857, 261); Cuba (CAB. Journ. II, lxxxii; GUNDLACH,
Rept. 1865, 223; resident); Panama (LAWR. VII, 1861, 288); S. E. Texas
(DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 325; breeds); Costa Rica (LAWR. IX, 133).
HABITS. The Broad-winged Hawk appears to be distributed over eastern
North America, somewhat irregularly, as far north as the British
Provinces, and as far west at least as the Mississippi. It has been
found in Florida by Mr. Wurdemann, where it was said to be not uncommon.
It is a resident in Cuba, where it breeds; but it has not been taken
in Jamaica. It has also been detected in Guatemala by Mr. Skinner.
Audubon states that he never met with it in Louisiana, but Mr. Dresser
found it not uncommon from the Nueces eastward. In September he noticed
several near the Mission of San Patricio, and during the winter obtained
several specimens near San Antonio. In May he shot a young bird on
the Medina River, and early in June he found a nest containing young
on the Colorado. It was on a high cottonwood-tree, and in an almost
inaccessible position.
[Illustration: _Buteo pennsylvanicus._]
It is not mentioned by Mr. Downes as occurring in Nova Scotia, though I
think it quite probable it may be found there; but it is quite common
near Calais, both in Eastern Maine and in New Brunswick. Professor
Verrill gives it as a common summer visitant in Oxford County, Me.,
near Norway, and as still more abundant near the Umbagog Lakes, and
apparently the most common Hawk in that vicinity. He found its nest,
June 12, containing two eggs nearly hatched. It is to be met with
throughout Massachusetts, having been found breeding near Williamstown,
Springfield, and also in the vicinity of Boston. Its nest was also met
with in Middlebury, Vt., by the late Professor Adams. Mr. McIlwraith, of
Hamilton, Canada, has noted extensive migrations of this Hawk in March
of different years, as many as twenty or thirty being in view at one
time, passing at a considerable height, and moving in circles towards
the northwest. Others, that appeared to be stragglers from the main
body, were met with in the woods. Dr. Hoy states it to be rather common
near Racine, and Mr. Kumlien has obtained it in the vicinity of Lake
Koskonong. From all these data it may naturally be inferred that this
Hawk has a pretty general distribution from Florida to Texas, and from
New Brunswick to the Mississippi Valley, probably extending northward
into the Saskatchewan Valley and south-westerly to Central America.
The Broad-winged Hawk was first described by Wilson, who shot a single
specimen that had been feeding on a meadow-mouse. On his approach it
uttered a whining whistle and flew to another tree. Another of the same
species was observed, and its movements were in wide circles, with
unmoving wings. Nuttall never met with it, and regarded it as very rare.
Audubon characterizes this Hawk as spiritless, inactive, and deficient
in courage, seldom chasing other birds of prey, but itself frequently
annoyed by the little Sparrow-Hawk, the Kingbird, and the Martin. It
only attacks birds of a weak nature, young chickens, and ducklings,
and feeds on small animals and insects. It is usually found singly, is
easily approached, and when wounded throws itself on its back, erects
its top feathers, utters a hissing sound, and attempts to defend itself
with its talons.
A nest of this bird, found by Mr. Audubon, is said to have been about
the size of that of the Crow, and to have been placed in the larger
branches of a tree, near the trunk. It was composed externally of dry
sticks and briers; internally, of small roots, and lined with numerous
large feathers. The nest found by Professor Adams, near Middlebury, Vt.,
was quite large, and was coarsely constructed of sticks, and lined only
with fibrous roots and fine grass. In this instance the eggs were three.
This is the more usual number, though occasionally four or five are
found.
Mr. Boardman informs me that Mr. Audubon’s account of the spiritless
manner in which one of these Hawks suffered him to capture it on its
nest does not at all correspond with his own experience. He has, on
the contrary, found it one of the most courageous and spirited of its
family. On one occasion, when a man employed by him was ascending to a
nest, a parent bird assailed the disturber with great fury, tore his
cap from his head, and would have done the man serious injury had it
not been shot. In another instance one of these birds attacked a boy
climbing to its nest, and fastened its talons in his arm, and could not
be removed until it was beaten off and killed with a club.
The eggs of this Hawk have an average length of 2.09 inches, and an
average breadth of 1.61. The smallest egg measures 1.94 by 1.50 inches,
and the largest 2.11 by 1.72 inches, showing considerable variation
in their relative capacity, but not so much as is found among the
eggs of other species. In shape, the eggs are of a slightly rounded
oval, one end a little less obtuse than the other. The ground-color
is of a grayish or dirty white, occasionally with a slightly silvery
shading. These are marked, usually over the entire egg, in irregular
distribution, with varying shades of brown. The more common is a
light tawny or reddish-brown. Intermingled with these blotches are
often found a peculiar faint purplish-brown, dull shading of a light
yellowish-brown, and a deep rich shade of purplish-brown, approaching
occasionally almost in intensity to black. These may occur separately,
or they may all be found blended in the same egg. The size, shape,
and peculiar coloring of the eggs of this Hawk make them readily
recognizable, though not readily permitting a satisfactory description.
A nest of this Hawk, taken by Mr. J. P. Ritchie, May 18, 1863,—the
parent female of which was secured also,—is described as having been
made of large sticks, very loosely put together, lined with a few pieces
of bark. It was placed in the crotch of a tree, close to the trunk, and
twenty feet from the ground, and contained two eggs.
Buteo swainsoni, BONAP.
Var. =swainsoni=, BONAP.