234 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



Long-eared Owl. In size this Owl is midway 

 between the Screech Owl and the Barred, being 

 about fifteen inches long. The best field mark 

 is the long tufts, or ears, of black bordered by- 

 white or buffy. The upper parts are dusky 

 mottled with white and buff. The tail has sev- 

 eral cross bars of dark brown. The under parts 

 are white and buff, streaked and barred with 

 brown. 



This Owl, too, is a dweller in the dense ever- 

 green woods and it is said hunts only at night. 

 In the daytime it sits quietly in some thicket 

 and may be approached close enough to have 

 its picture taken. It usually lays its eggs in an 

 old nest of Hawk, Crow or squirrel. They are 

 permanent residents as far north as Nova Scotia, 

 but are not common in the northern part of this 

 region. 



Short-eared Owl. This Owl is a daylight hun- 

 ter and a resident of marsh and meadow. He 

 remains so still in his grassy retreat that you 

 almost step on him before he stirs. When in 

 quest of food he courses back and forth over the 

 meadows in search of mice of which he is very 

 fond. The nest of grasses is built on the ground. 



They vary in length from fourteen to seven- 

 teen inches. The back, wings, head, neck and 

 tail are mottled black, brown and gray. The 

 white under parts are streaked with brown. 

 There are two small ear tufts of dark, edged with 

 white. They are found throughout North Amer- 

 ica, breeding north of Virginia. 



Great Gray Owl. This very large Owl lives 

 north of the United States and comes down to 



