IIORXED OWLS 



arc tlio western liorned owl, found from the 

 Mississippi Valley west to Nevada, south- 

 eastern Oregon, Wyoming and IMontana to 

 central Alberta; California horned owl of 

 California north to south central Oregon; 

 coast horned owl of the coast counties of 

 northern California, and the northwestern 

 horned owl of Idaho, eastern Oregon, ^Yash- 

 ington and central British Columbia to 

 southern Alaska. 



The big horned owl, hoot owl, or cat owl 

 frequents heavy timber, hiding during the 

 day in dense thickets away from sunlight, 

 and coming out at dusk to beat over the open 

 spaces on hillside and valley in search of its 

 prey which consists of animals and birds up 

 to the size of rabbits, ground squirrels and 

 skunks, and game birds, smaller land birds and 

 poultry. In spite of the fact that it does con- 

 siderable damage to bird life it is highly bene- 

 ficial as a destroyer of rodent pests and for 

 tills reason should })e protected. 



The horned owl begins laying in January 

 even in the colder parts of its range. Its 

 nest is placed indifferently in hollow trees, in 

 an old hawk's or crow's nest and sometimes 

 in a crevice in a cliff, or in a cave. Horned 

 owls are much less in evidence on the Pacific 

 Coast than they are east of the Rockies, 

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