210 Birds of Colorado 



The Homed Owl in Colorado makes use, as a rule, of 

 an old Magpie's or Red-tailed Hawk's nest, in which to 

 lay its eggs. Warren noticed it however nesting in a 

 hole in a sandstone bluff at Gaume's ranche in Baca co. 

 Gale found it a most persistent layer ; he took three sets 

 of eggs from the same pair of birds ; the sets numbered 

 four, three and two respectively, and the nest-site was 

 changed each time. Incubation, which is undertaken 

 entirely by the female, lasts about four weeks. The 

 eggs, usually four in number, are rounded ovals, white 

 in colour and not very glossy ; they measure 2"2 x 1*90. 



This Owl is one of our earliest breeders ; Gale found 

 fresh eggs between March 10th and 25th ; any found 

 later, he believed to be second or third layings, due to 

 failure or robbery of the first set. 



Genus NYCTEA. 



Owls of large size — wing 15 to 18 — with plvuuage mostly white ; re- 

 sembling Buho in other respects, but with the ear-tnfts rudimentary 

 or wanting, and the bill and claws almost entirely concealed by the 

 dense growth of the frontal and toe feathers. 



Only one circumpolar species is comprised in this genus. 



Snowy Owl. Nyctea nyctea. 



A.O.U. CheckUst no 376 — Colorado Records — Morrison 89, p. 67 ; 

 Cooke 94, p. 183 ; 97, pp. 80, 161, 206 ; H. G. Smith 96, p. 76 ; Hender- 

 son 03, p. 235 ; 09, p. 230. 



Description. — Male — Pure white above and below, sometimes immacu- 

 late, more generally marked with transverse spots or bars abo\'e and 

 below ; the face, throat and feet usually the least marked. Iris yellow ; 

 bill and claws black. Length 22-0 ; wing 15-5 ; tail 9-25 ; culmen 

 1 '50 ; tarsus 1 -8. 



The female is larger — wing 17-3, tail 10-0 — and much darker, only the 

 face, throat and middle of the breast and foet immaculate ; top of the 

 head and hind-neck spotted, rest of the body barred with dark brown. 



Distribution. — Breeding in the Arctic regions of both hemispheres, 

 in America north of 53°, from Alaska to Labrador ; south in winter, 

 more or less regularly, to the northern and middle states ; more 

 common in the east. 



