In Favor Of The Hawk

In the days when America had hawks, they were, in the popular mind, either hen-hawks or chicken-hawks, according to size, and in the opinion of the poultry raiser lived almost exclusively on the barnyard bird. To those interested in shooting, either for sport or gain (for market hunting was then regularly followed as a part-time occupation by many), game was supposed to be the hawk's staple food. In other words, he had few friends among those who had power to do him harm. Still, the wilderness was relatively broad, and opportunity to kill him came seldom, and so were possible the yearly migrating bands. And in spite of the thronging thousands which one might see each favorable day in early autumn, the farm yards were full of domestic fowls, in each patch of woodland was a brood of the finest wood-fowl in the world, the ruffed grouse, quail nested in our home mowing field, and each evening, in its season, the love-song of the woodcock could be heard in a marshy thicket across the road.

But even in the days of, which I speak, a few earnest students were collecting evidence in favor of the hawk. In a bulletin published by the Biological Survey in 1893, and based on the examination of stomach contents, was presented a mass of evidence, since supplemented by further study, which should have insured a favorable verdict for most of our hawks, in any court. Very briefly, these studies, based on ample evidence, show that twenty-five species, from their wholesale destruction of harmful rodents and insects, are largely or entirely beneficial. Of these the Swainson and roughlegged hawks, with practically no bad habits, head the list. Several, including our national bird, the bald eagle, are neutral, as far as man's material interests are concerned.

In contrast to these are a few species whose habits are mainly detrimental. The more common of these are the goshawk, Cooper's hawk, and sharp-shinned hawk, which are mainly destructive to game or small birds and to poultry, and of which the exploits are largely the cause of the popular prejudice against all hawks. The duck hawk, or American peregrine, perhaps our most beautiful and interesting species, falls into this class. Space will not permit, nor is it desirable in the present connection, to present the data on which these statements are based. The details, however, have been widely disseminated among farmers, sportsmen, and others interested in our wild life.

Should not the result have been a cessation of that persecution which was formerly, in a way, justified on the ground of ignorance? Yet in spite of the evidence in their favor all our hawks continue to suffer at the hands of our vast and increasing army of sportsmen, virtually without exception.

By: davidbunch

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