208 Birds of Colorado 



Habits. — The Flammulated Screech Owl resembles 

 the other larger Screech Owl in its habits. It is nocturnal, 

 and preys on small mammals and large insects. The 

 eggs are laid in a natural cavity or in a Flicker-hole, 

 generally in a coniferous tree — a pinon at lower levels, 

 a spruce at higher — at the end of May or beginning 

 of June. 



Aiken was the first to find the nest and eggs of this 

 Owl. He took a female from the nest, which was in 

 a dead pine tree and contained one egg. This was in 

 the Wet Mountain Valley, at about 7,500 feet, on June 

 loth, 1875. W. G. Smith subsequently obtained several 

 sets of eggs in Estes Park, between 8,000 and 10,000 

 feet. The clutch usually numbers four, and the eggs 

 are white with a faint creamy tinge, and oval in shape ; 

 they average 1*12 x TO. 



Genus BUBO. 



Large Owls with wing (in the American species) over 14 ; bill robust 

 and black ; facial disk well marked, the eyes placed nearer the upper 

 than the lower margin ; skuU and ear-openings symmetrical, the latter 

 small, normal and non-operculate ; ear -tufts conspicuous ; wing rather 

 short and rounded, falling short of the tail when folded ; tail shght, 

 rounded, almost concealed below by the lengthened under tail- 

 coverts ; legs densely feathered to the bases of the claws, but the 

 latter not concealed. 



A considerable genus, spread over most of the world ; but with only 

 one United States species, divided into a number of subspecies ; some 

 of these however are far from satisfactorily defined. 



Western Homed Owl. Bubo virginianus pallescens. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 375a — Colorado Records — Ridgway 73, p. 185 ; 

 Henshaw 75, p. 407 ; Scott 79, p. 95 ; Beckham 85, p. 143 ; Drew 85, 

 p. 17 ; Morrison 88, p. 115 ; 89, p. 67 ; KeUogg 90, p. 87 ; Bendire 92, 

 p. 383; Osburn 93, p. 212 ; Lowe 94, p. 268 ; 95, p. 169 ; DiUe 03, 

 p. 74 ; Henderson 03, p. 235 ; 09, p. 230 ; Oberholser 04, p. 192 {Aaio 

 magellanicus occidentalis) ; Warren 06, p. 20 ; 08, p. 21 ; 09, p. 14 ; 

 Oilman 07, p. 154 ; Rockwell 08, p. 14 ; 08, p. 163 ; Smith 10, p. 133. 



