Burrowing Owl 211 



In Colorado the Snowy Owl is a rare winter visitor, more abundant 

 in severe winters. It has been chiefly taken in the north-east of the 

 State near Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Barr and Denver, whence 

 it has been reported by Cooke and Snaith. Further south and in the 

 mountains it is only a straggler ; but it has been recorded from 

 Colorado Springs by Aiken, from Wet Mountain Valley by Baker, 

 and from Breckrenridge by Carter. 



Genus SPEOTYTO. 



Medii-un-sized Owls — wing 6 to 8 — with a quite incomiolete facial 

 disk and no ear-tufts ; ear-openings small and normal ; cere somewhat 

 swollen ; wing modorate, slightly rounded ; tail short, less than half 

 the wing ; legs long and slim, tarsus twice the length of the middle toe 

 without claw, scantily feathered in front, bare behind ; lower portion 

 and toes with a few bristles. 



This genus is confined to America ; there is only one species found in 

 the United States. 



Burrowing Owl. Speotyto cunicularia hypogcea. 



A.O.U. Checknst no 378 — Colorado Records — Say 23, vol. ii., pp. 36, 

 200 ; Allen 72, p. 151 ; Coues 74, p. 322 ; Allen & Brewster 83, p. 197 ; 

 Drew 85, p. 17 ; Beckham 85, p. 143 ; Morrison 89, p. 67 ; Bendire 92, 

 p. 395 ; Cooke 97, pp. 18, 81, 206 ; Dille 03, p. 74 ; Henderson 03, 

 p. 235 ; 09, p. 230 ; Warren 06, p. 20 ; 08, p. 21 ; 09, p. 14 ; Gihnan 

 07, p. 154 ; Markman 07, p. 156 ; Hersey & Rockwell 09, p. 118. 



Description. — Adult — Dull brown above, spotted finely on the head, 

 more largely on the back, with white or tawny-whitish ; on the wing- 

 quills and tail the spots tend to form cross-bars, generally broken in 

 the centre on the shafts ; below white, the throat and fore-breast 

 imniaculate, separated by a brown band, posteriorly with a series of 

 brown, transverse spots, almost forming bars ; thighs and under tail- 

 coverts plain ; iris yellow, bill greenish-yellow, cere and claws blackish. 

 Length 9*5 ; wing 7-25 ; tail 3-5 ; cuhnen '6 ; tarsus 1'85. 



The sexes are aUke. Young birds are plain brown above, but with 

 much white on the wings ; below with white chin, brown collar, and 

 isabelline white and immaculate posterior parts. 



Distribution. — Western North America, breeding from southern 

 British Columbia, Assinaboia and Minnesota south to northern Texas, 

 Mexico and Guatemala. 



In Colorado the Burrowing Owl is most common on the eastern plains, 

 wherever there are prairie-dog towns. It is also found in the moun- 

 tains up to about 8,000 feet, while Cooke states it occasionally reaches 

 10,000 feet; but I have not found any reference to it higher than Middle 

 Park, where Carter obtained it. There is also some doubt as to whether 



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