This sharp-shinned hawk, and the Cooper hawk which looks very much life it, but is larger, are the two worst enemies of the farmer and his chickens. While the owl as a rule is his friend, the hawk for the most part is his enemy. This one can easily be distinguished from the other hawks in that it is small, very slim, and long. Its legs are long and the feathers do not come down on the legs as they do on some others. The tail is long and squared off at the end. Its upper parts are nearly uniform bluish gray, while the under part is white, heavily barred, and spotted with reddish brown. Among the hawks this one is a veritable bushwhacker, its size and lightness enabling it to get about among the brush in a fox-like way so that it is able to swoop under low branches or dart through the treetops and snatch a sparrow in mid-air from the midst of a startled flock. Its size is so much more than compensated for by its audacity that one bird often becomes the terror of a poultry yard, taking the small and half-grown chickens regular, sometimes even killing and eating a full-grown hen of many times its own weight.
20. Goldfinch and Rhododendron - Spinus tristis - Rhodora macrophyllum. The goldfinch is about 4" long. Has 3-5 young in a brood. Eats weed seeds. Nests in bushes. Found in pastures, gardens and orchards. Is the state bird of Washington. The rhododendron grows both as shrub and tree. Has simple evergreen or deciduous leaves and large flower in terminal clusters. Is the state flower of Washington. Forestry Story - Our state bird and state flower thrive in tree farm forests, along with other flowers and wildlife. Tree farms are planned to supply wood for homes and countless other products we all use every day...forever.
17. White-Headed Woodpecker - Dendrocopos albolarvatus. About 9" long. Has about 6 young in a brood. Eats ants and grubs from dead trees. Habitat is wooded areas both open and dense. Nests in a hollow in a dead tree. Forestry Story - Pine trees are damaged by insects, too. Woodpeckers help stop damage by eating insects and larvae. Tree farmers spray such areas from airplanes and also harvest bad trees to remove insect-breeding areas and save wood.
18. Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus. About 24" long. Has 2-4 young in a brood. Eats birds and animals, especially mice. Habitat is woodland and adjacent areas. Forestry Story - Tree farmers harvest pine by individual tree selection. Since pine grows in open stands, new trees thrive right among older trees, left as a seed source. Douglas fir, however, must be clear-cut or new trees won't grow well.
9. Blue Grouse - dedragapus obscurus. About 20" long. Has 6-10 young in a brood. Eats seeds, berries, young shoots and tender leaves. A valuable game bird. Habitat is mostly in coniferous forests. Nests on the ground under brush. Forestry Story - This dense young forest will supply wood for a future generation. Within a few years, it may be thinned by the tree farmer. Small trees thinned out will supply useful wood and the trees which remain will grow faster.
12. Red-Breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis. About 5" long. Has 4-8 young in a brood. Eats insects, nuts and hard seeds. Wedges them in a branch cleft and breaks the shell with its chisel-like bill. Habitat is forest and thicket, usually near civilization. Nests in hollow trees. Forestry Story - The damp, long winters and mild summers coupled with good forest soil produces long-fibered wood of unusual strength in Douglas fir regions of Washington and Oregon. Douglas fir is native to this area.
8. Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus. About 25" long. Has 7-13 chicks. Eats insects, grain, shoots. A very important game bird. Habitat is agricultural and semi-agricultural areas. Nests on the ground. Forestry Story - Young Douglas firs 5 to 7 years old begin to blanket the land which was clear-cut to give them light, air and growing room. When the area is fully covered with a new crop, the nearby mature seed trees can be harvested.
1. Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus. About 2 feet high. Wingspread 6-7 feet. Has 1-3 young in a brood. Eats animals, birds, fish and reptiles. Our national emblem. Habitat is wooded areas, usually near water. Nest is huge mass of sticks in a tree or on a pinnacle of rock. Forestry Story - This mountainous area is a tree farm. Tree farms are privately owned forestlands. Their owners agree to grow and harvest timber in repeated crops to help provide a permanent supply of wood for America.
6. Ruffed Grouse - Bonasa umbellus. About 16" long. Has 6-10 chicks. Eats buds, berries, insects and seeds. Noted game bird. Habitat is brush patches and hardwood areas along creeks and river bottoms. Nests on the ground under a bush or tree. Forestry Story - Tiny Douglas fir seedling are protected from the weather by large ferns and other ground growth. Such cover keeps the soil moist and helps the new trees grow sturdy and strong enough to withstand the elements.