THE BIRD BOOK 



377a. Hawk Owl. Surnia ulula caparoch. 



Range. — Northern North America, breeding 

 from the central portions of British America 

 northward; probably also breeds in the Rocky 

 Mountains in the northern tier of states and 

 casually farther. 



American Hawk Owl 



White 



This handsome mottled and barred, gray and 

 black Owl might readily be mistaken for a 

 Hawk, because of his Hawk-like appearance 

 and long rounded tail. They are very active birds, especially in the day time, 

 for they are more diurnal than nocturnal; their food is mostly of small rodents, 

 and also small birds. They nest either in the tops of large fir trees, in hollows 

 of stumps, or, in some cases, upon the ground. When in trees their nests are 

 made of twigs, leaves and weeds, and sometimes lined with moss and feathers; 

 they lay from three to eight white eggs, size 1.50 x 1.20. Data. — Labrador, May 

 3, 1899. Five eggs. Nest in the top of a dead tree, 15 feet from the ground. 



378. BuRKOwiNG Owl. Speotyto cunicularia hypogcea. 



Range. — Western North America from the Mississippi 

 Valley west to California; north to the southern parts 

 of British America and south to Central America. 



These peculiar birds are wholly different in plumage, 

 form and habits from any other American Owls. They 

 can readily be recognized by their long, slender and 

 scantily feathered legs. Their plumage is brownish, 

 spotted with white above, and white, barred with brown 

 below; length 10 inches. They nest, generally in large 

 communities in burrows in the ground, usually deserted 

 Prairie Dog holes. While generally but a single pair 

 occupy one burrow, as many as twenty have been found nesting together. 

 Sometimes the burrows are unlined, and again may have a carpet of grasses 

 and feathers. Their white eggs generally number from six to ten; size 1.25 x 

 1.00. Data.^ — Sterling, Kans., May 7, 1899. Nest of bits of dry dung at the end of 

 a deserted Prairie Dog burrow. 



Whitt 



i'^-ca*~y 





238 



