ROCKY MOUNTAIN PYGMY OWL 403 



color of the back. There are a few faint spots on the forehead but 

 none on the rest of the head; no spots on the other upper parts, or 

 on the brown of the sides of the breast. Later, spots gradually appea r 

 in all these places as the bird grows older. 



This owl is known to molt late in August or early in September. 

 Mrs. Bailey (1928) says: "It was in the midst of its molt at the time- 

 September 3 — its head, body, and yellow feet being pin-feathery, 

 its wing quills only partly new. It was an immature female." 



Food. — Probably the Rocky Mountain pygmy owl feeds on all the 

 smaller mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and larger insects liv- 

 ing within its range. All varieties are attacked at times and eaten. 

 Still, it is quite likely that mice and large insects are oftener eaten 

 than any other items. Aside from the variety of its food, the most 

 astonishing thing about its diet is the comparatively large size of some 

 of its captures, both mammalian and avian. For the pygmy owl is 

 more savage and more courageous than many species of birds. Since 

 it is a daylight hunting bird, its victims are such as would naturally 

 be secured at that time. Mrs. Bailey (1928) says: "One taken 

 by Mr. Ligon had its stomach packed with the flesh and hair of 

 mice. * * * A Rocky Mountain Pygmy Owl taken by Mr. Bailey 

 in Santa Clara Canyon at sundown had a meadow mouse in its stomach 

 and gray fur in its claws. * * * One of the Pygmies was heard 

 by Mr. Birdseye at night high up in the San Francisco Mountains, 

 but three specimens taken by him on the Negrito and Frisco Rivers 

 when discovered were sitting out in the broad sunshine, and the 

 stomach of one was filled with grasshoppers, proving that it had been 

 hunting in daylight." 



Major Bendire mentions one that had seized a large pocket gopher; 

 and I have already quoted his finding an adult Say's ground squirrel, 

 fully twice the size of the adult pygmy, in a nest. E. L. Arnold 

 (1932) says: "This afternoon [November 30, 1932] I found a pigmy 

 owl apparently unable to fly. Upon investigation I found that he 

 had a mole caught in his claws and was unable either to extricate the 

 mole or rise with his burden into the air." This inability, or rather 

 failure, of the pygmy, to release prey that seems too big for it has 

 been noted also by other observers. There have been several in- 

 stances where the rapacious little pygmy has been found dead beside 

 its prey. Edward A. Preble (1930) writes: "Its powers can not be 

 measured by its size, for it has been known to overcome ground 

 squirrels of twice its [own] bulk." 



While this subspecies does not seem to be so much of a bird destroyer 

 as calif ornicum, there are few birds smaller than twice its own size 

 that it will not attack. As a rule it seems to grasp at least its avian 

 victims by the neck. Edward A. Preble (1930) writes that "its stand- 

 ing with the small forest birds is indicated by the jeering, excited 



