What Bird is That? Part 7

BARN OWLS. FAMILY ALUCONIDae

BARN OWL

_Aluco pratincola pratincola. Case 3, Fig. 17_

A light-colored Owl, looking almost white in the dusk. L. 18.

_Range._ Barn Owls are found throughout the world.

Our species is rare north of New Jersey and Ohio.

It is migratory only at the northern limit of its range.

Was.h.i.+ngton, not rare P.R. Ossining, A.V.

This is the 'Monkey-faced Owl' of towers and steeples. Few who hear its loud, sudden scream or rapidly repeated _crree-crree-crree_ know their author, who may live for years in the heart of a village a stranger to its human inhabitants. The mice, however, have tragic evidence of his presence in the nightly raids he makes upon their ranks. The nest is made in the diurnal retreat, 5-9 white eggs being laid in April.

HORNED OWLS, HOOT OWLS, ETC. FAMILY STRIGIDae

LONG-EARED OWL

_Asio wilsonia.n.u.s. Case 1, Fig. 17_

Distinguished by very long ear-tufts. L. 14.

_Range._ Temperate North America. Winters south to Georgia and Louisiana.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common P.R. Ossining, common P.R.

Cambridge, rare, P.R. but sometimes common in fall and winter. N. Ohio, uncommon P.R. Glen Ellyn, rare, fall records only, Nov. 7-Dec. 14.

An Owl of evergreen clumps and dense growths, where its presence is often betrayed by the litter below of undigested pellets of hair and bones which Owls eject at the mouth. It is not a "hoot" Owl, and even many ornithologists have not heard its notes, which are described as a "soft-toned, slow _wu-hunk, wu-hunk_, and a low twittering, whistling _d.i.c.ky, d.i.c.ky, d.i.c.ky_." It is not a hole-inhabiting Owl and like the Great Horned nests in an old Hawk, Crow, or Squirrel nest. Three to six white eggs are laid in April.

SHORT-EARED OWL

_Asio flammeus. Case 1, Fig. 18_

The 'ears' are barely evident, the eyes are yellow; underparts streaked. L. 15.

_Range._ Found throughout the greater part of the world; migrating southward at the northern part of its North American range.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common W.V. Ossining, casual.

Cambridge, T.V., Mch. 15-Apl. 15, rare; Oct.-Nov., uncommon. N. Ohio, uncommon P.R. Glen Ellyn, rare, Dec. 11-May 15. SE. Minn., common S.R.

This is a marsh Owl and we are therefore not likely to find it a.s.sociated with other members of its family. Its notes are said to resemble the _ki-yi_ of a small dog. Four to seven white eggs are laid in an open nest in the gra.s.ses in April.

BARRED OWL

_Strix varia varia. Case 1, Fig. 15_

A large Owl with black eyes (the figure is incorrect) and no 'ears.' L. 20.

_Range._ Eastern North America. Generally a Permanent Resident. The Florida Barred Owl (_S. v.

alleni_, Case 3, Fig. 16), is somewhat darker than the northern form and has nearly naked toes. It inhabits Florida and the coast region from South Carolina to Texas.

Was.h.i.+ngton, not common, rare P.R. Ossining, rare P.R. Cambridge, P.R., sometimes common in Nov. and Dec. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, rare and local P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.

An Owl of the woods, common in the less thickly settled parts of its range. Its loud, sonorous notes, _whoo, whoo-whoo who-whoo, to-whoo-ah_, are often uttered. When two birds come together their united calls produce some of the most startling sounds to be heard in nature. The Barred Owl feeds chiefly on mice. It nests in hollow trees in March, laying 2-4 white eggs.

GREAT GRAY OWL

_Scotiaplex nebulosa nebulosa_

Largest of American Owls, with a general resemblance to the Barred Owl, but nearly a third larger and with yellow eyes. L. 27.

_Range._ Northern North America, rarely straggling to United States in winter.

Cambridge, very rare and irregular W.V. SE. Minn., rare W.V.

RICHARDSON'S OWL

_Cryptoglaux funerea richardsoni_

A small Owl about the size of a Screech Owl, but without ear-tufts. It is grayish brown above and both head and back are spotted with black; the underparts are white heavily streaked with grayish brown.

_Range._ Northern Canada and Alaska, rarely visiting the eastern United States in winter. We are not likely to meet this Owl.

Cambridge, very rare W.V.

SAW-WHET OWL

_Cryptoglaux acadica acadica. Case 2, Fig. 41_

Smallest of our Owls; eyes yellow, no ear-tufts.

L. 8.

_Range._ Nests in the northern United States and northward, south in the Alleghanies to Maryland; winters rather rarely and irregularly southward to Virginia.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare W.V., Oct.-Mch. Ossining, rather rare W.V., Oct. 28-Jan. 13. Cambridge, not uncommon, W.V., Nov.-Mch. N. Ohio, rare P.R. SE.