File:Report on the birds of Pennsylvania - with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations (1890) (20668183655).jpg

Title: Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations
Identifier: commercialpoultr11 (find matches)
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg : E. K. Meyers, State Printer
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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136 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. Plate 33. V and rapme. The Bald Eagle is quite plentiful in the vicinity of large rivers, where the Fish Hawk is common; unlike this last named l:»ird however, he cannot be called piscivorous, as he subsists largely on ducks' geese and other aquatics birds. Referring to this eagle, Audubon says • "No sooner does the Fisli Hawk make its appearance along our Atlantic shores, or ascend our numerous and large rivers, than the eagle follows it, and, like a selfish oppressor, robs it of the hard-earned fruits of its labor. Perched on some tall summit, in view of the ocean, or of some water-course, he \ratches every motion of the Fish Hawk while on wing "VVlien the latter rises from the water, with a fish in its grasp, forth rushes the eagle •in pursuit. He mounts above the Fish Hawk, and threatens it by actions well understood, when the latter, fearing perhaps that Its life is in danger, drops its prey. In an instant, the eagles accu- rately estimating the rapid descent of the fish, closes his wings, follows it Avith the swiftness of thought, and the next moment grasps it. * * This bird now and then procures fish for himself by pursuing them in the shallows of small creeks. I have witnessed several instances of this in the Perkiomen creek in Pennsylvania, where, in this manner, I saw one of them secure a number of Red fins, by wading l)riskly throu-h th(^ water, and striking at them with his l)ill. I have also observed I pair scrambling over the ice of frozen pond to get at some fish below, l)ut without success. It does not confine itself to these kinds of food' but greedily devours young pigs, lambs, fawns, poultry and the putrid 'flesh of carcasses of every description, driving off the vultures and Carrion Crows, or the dogs, and keeping a whole party at defiance until it is satiated." Even man is not exempt from the attacks of these predacious birds. I have repeatedly seen in newspapers, accounts of combats between men and eagles ; frequently the bird would be the aggressor. While it is admitted that these reports are largely due to the imaginative reporter, it IS believed that such occurrences do occasionally take place. Verita- ble instances are related of their canying ofi* infants. According to Wilson, " an attempt of this kind was made upon a child lying by its mother, as she was weeding a garden, at Egg Harbor, New Jersey," but the garment seized upon by the eagle giving way at the instant of the attempt, the child's life was spared." Nuttall speaks of an instance said to have happened at Petersburg, Ga., near the Savannah river, " where an infant, sleeping in the shade near the house, was seized and carried off to the eyry, near the edge of a swamp, Jive miles distant, and when found, almost immediately, the child was dead." f
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1, 2. Englisb Sparrow. Male and Female. 3, 4. Snow-Bird. Female and Male. COLOR PLATE

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