408 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



zero weather a tiny owl could be found almost any hour of the day, 

 perched on a beam conveniently overlooking the grain bin in the barn. 

 This little fellow was quite friendly and allowed us to take him into 

 our kitchen once or twice when we — merely cold-blooded humans — 

 considered 34 degrees below zero too cold for even a diminutive owl, 

 clothed warmly in feathers from the top of his head to the sharp claws 

 on his miniature feet. He was quite patient with us and allowed us to 

 measure and photograph him, but he spurned some small pieces of raw 

 meat." Soon the door was opened and he was allowed to fly back to 

 the barn. Later in the same article they tell us that "it is a certainty 

 that not a single mouse has been seen inside the barn since the depar- 

 ture of our interesting little guest." 



Dr. Sclater (1912) tells us that the pygmy owls winter in the foothills 

 and on the neighboring plains of Colorado, although often summering 

 in the mountains. Dr. W. H. Bergtold (1928), also, says that although 

 in the mountains in summer, they are more common on the plains of 

 Colorado in winter. Norman deW. Betts (1912) gives an interesting 

 item: "This small owl was fairly common in the city of Boulder from 

 the first week of January to the middle of February, 1912. One bird 

 was found dead and others were observed in various parts of the city; 

 the number of individuals of course may not have been over three or 

 four, as they were observed singly. On two occasions (at 8 a. m.) 

 I saw this owl feeding on a bird about the size of an English Sparrow. 

 They appeared to be active at all times of the day." In Utah the 

 pygmy owls have acquired the habit of visiting at least the smaller 

 cities. H. C. Johnson (1903) writes: "The capture of a pygmy owl 

 in the streets of American Fork, Utah, a few days ago excited some 

 interest but was not the first occasion of its kind. Two or three 

 years ago I had one similarly caught (by a boy with his hands) and on 

 dissection I found it literally gorged with English sparrows. * * * 

 The bird is not uncommon among us in winter and is attracted in town 

 by the most natural thing in the world — food." 



DISTEIBUTION 



Range. — Western North and Middle America; nonmigratory. 



The range of the pygmy owl extends north to northern British 

 Columbia (Doch-da-on Creek, "Second Cabin", and Willow River) ; and 

 Montana (Sun River, Bridger Canyon, and the mountains near Red 

 Lodge). East to (mountains near Red Lodge) ; Wyoming (probably 

 Jackson); Colorado (Estes Park, probably Boulder, Ute Pass, and 

 Wet Mountains) ; New Mexico (Willis, Santa Fe Mountains, Glorieta, 

 San Pedro and Cloudcroft); Chihuahua (Colonia Garcia); Tamaulipas 

 (Galinda); Chiapas (Comitan); and Guatemala (Choctum, Coban, and 

 Volcan de Fuego). South to Guatemala (Volcan de Fuego, Duenas, 



