What is "hen hawk"

Hen \Hen\, n. [AS. henn, hen, h[ae]n; akin to D. hen, OHG. henna, G. henne, Icel. h?na, Dan. h["o]na; the fem. corresponding to AS. hana cock, D. haan, OHG. hano, G. hahn, Icel. hani, Dan. & Sw. hane. Prob. akin to L. canere to sing, and orig. meaning, a singer. Cf. Chanticleer.] (Zo["o]l.) The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen. Note: Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen. Hen clam. (Zo["o]l.)

1. A clam of the Mactra, and allied genera; the sea clam or surf clam. See Surf clam.

2. A California clam of the genus Pachydesma.

   Hen driver. See Hen harrier (below).

   Hen harrier (Zo["o]l.), a hawk ( Circus cyaneus), found in Europe and America; -- called also dove hawk, henharm, henharrow, hen driver, and usually, in America, marsh hawk. See Marsh hawk.

   Hen hawk (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of large hawks which capture hens; esp., the American red-tailed hawk ( Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk ( Buteo lineatus), and the goshawk.

n. nontechnical term for any hawks said to prey on poultry [syn: chicken hawk]