THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN THAILAND 179 



GLAUCIDIUM CUCULOIDES BRUGELI (Parrot) 



Thai Barred Pygmy Owl 



Athene cuculoides brugeli Pabrot, Verh. Orn. Ges. Bayern, vol. 8, 1907, pp. 104- 

 107 (Bangkok, error; type locality here corrected to Sam Khok district, 

 halfway between Bangkok and Ayutthaya). 



Claucidium cuculoides, Gyxdenstolpe, Kungl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1913, 

 p. 61 (Ban Hnai Horn, Den Chai, Pak Pan) ; 1916, p. 122 (Khun Tan, Ban 

 Mae Na, Doi Pha Sakaeng, Pha Kho) ; Journ. Nat. Hist. Soc. Siam, 1915, p. 

 233 (listed); Ibis, 1920, p. 754 ("Throughout the whole country" ) .-de 

 Schatjensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1928, p. 576 (Chiang Mai). 



Glaucidium cuculoides cumloides, de Schatjensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila- 

 delphia, 1929, p. 576 (Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep ) —Deignan, Journ. Siam Soc. 

 Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1931, p. 164 (Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep). 



Glaucidium cuculoides rufescens, de Schatjensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila- 

 delphia, 1929, p. 576 (Chiang Saen). 



Glaucidium cuculoides brugeli, de Schatjensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadel- 

 phia, 1934, p. 268 (Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao). — Deignan, Journ. Siam Soc. 

 Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1936, p. 90 (Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep) .— Rilet, U. S. Nat. 

 Mus. Bull. 172, 1938, p. 151 (Chiang Dao, Mae Khan, Mae Kong Ka valley). 



The barred pygmy owl abounds throughout our provinces and has 

 been taken by all collectors. Eisenhof er sent to Hannover a bird from 

 Ban Huai Horn and another from Pak Pan, to Stockholm one from 

 Pha Hing and 16 from Khun Tan. I have a long series from Mae 

 Sariang, Thattafang, Ban Hong Tan, Muang Chiang Dao, Ban 

 Wang Lung, Wiang Pa Pao, Ban Mae Mo, Chiang Mai, Chiang Saen 

 Kao, Ban Pa Lao, Ban Mae Ka Huai Khian, Ban Tha Sala, Ban Ngao, 

 Ban Hai Huai Som, and a locality about 50 km. east of Muang 

 Phrayao. I have found it only at low altitudes but de Schauensee 

 has taken it on Doi Suthep at 4,500 and 5,500 feet, where it must be 

 quite rare. 



This is perhaps our commonest species of owl and certainly, owing to 

 its diurnal activity, the one oftenest seen. It occurs in the deciduous 

 forest, in stands of teak, sometimes in bamboo, perching in such ex- 

 posed situations as the ends of branches or the leafless tops of trees, 

 and uttering its monotone, whistled trill without regard to human 

 intruders. It is apparently untroubled by bright sunlight, although, 

 like other birds, it is somewhat less active during the hottest hours 

 of the day. Some of my specimens had the stomach filled with grass- 

 hoppers and beetles. 



An example with the gonads enlarged, was taken at Chiang Mai, 

 March 3. A juvenile was collected at Ban Ngao, May 1, and others 

 at Chiang Mai, May 1 and 6. 



From living among and flying through the dry, leathery leaves of 

 the deciduous trees, the feathers of head and nape become extraor- 



