Hello Tweeters:

One of the great aspects of sharing information is how much we learn about
things we did not expect to learn about.

In my response that the birds were Redtailed Hawks, I thought that I could
make the point that they had captured a snake, and RT Hawks are consummate
snakers, often flying round their territory with a reptile proudly dangling
from their talons.

I thought that as a hint, I was going to say that Swainson's are heavy
consumers of rodents and insects, and that snakes may not be a large part of
their diet. However, upon checking Ralph Palmer's Handbook of North
American Birds, I was surprised to learn that in a study in Washington in
1978, snakes comprised 63% of the diet. The prey included snakes as large as
Gopher Snakes, but most were Yellow-bellied Racers.

I have never seen a Swainson's in BC with a snake. So once again, one must
always be careful not to jump to a lot of conclusions (or confusions), based
upon a narrower base of experience.

Thanks for posting the pictures. It has broadened my buteo knowledge
considerably.

Rick Howie
Kamloops, BC
rick.howie at shaw.ca