392 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



alighted on ships at sea, shows that it is capable of prolonged flights. 

 It is usually seen perched on the level ground, or on the little eminences 

 at the entrances of burrows, more from necessity than choice; but I 

 believe that it prefers to perch on fence posts, wire fences, low bushes, 

 or even trees where these are available, selecting the best lookout 

 points it can find. Some observers have reported it as shy, especially 

 on bright, sunny days, but I have generally found it rather easy to 

 approach; once on a dull, cloudy day I was able to crawl up to within a 

 few feet of one and photograph it at short range. 



Burrowing owls seem to have a curious habit of following a moving 

 animal, perhaps to secure whatever small game may be stirred up by it. 

 Aldo Leopold (1923) mentions one that "made a daily practice of 

 'pursuing' a bird dog when the dog was turned loose for exercise near 

 the golf links of the Albuquerque Country Club. * * * When 

 the dog first appeared on the owl's range, he would chase the owl for 

 a short distance. When this was over, the owl would chase him for 

 distances up to 150 yards, flying about five feet behind and above him 

 as the dog hunted." E. S. Cameron (1907) says that "in summer 

 these owls have a habit of making short flights along the wire fences 

 in front of horses, perching on the wires until approached quite close." 



Voice. — The vocal performances of the burrowing owl are not very 

 elaborate and consist mainly of two very different notes, the cackling 

 alarm note, cack-cack-cack-cack, given as it darts into its hole or flies 

 away, and the so-called love song, a rapidly uttered, cooing note, given 

 in the spring on its nesting grounds. Claude T. Barnes says in his 

 notes: "As I approached, the languid owl flew to a nearby post utter- 

 ing occasionally a raucous twit, or twut, twut, twut." Bendire (1892) 

 writes: 



They appear to be mated when they make their first appearance in the early 

 spring, and I believe remain paired through life. At this season, where they are 

 abundant, and they are generally found in little colonies of several pairs at least, 

 their peculiar love note can be heard on all sides about sundown; it reminds me 

 more of the call of the European Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) than anything else, a 

 mellow sonorous and far-reaching 'coo-c-o-o', the last syllables somewhat drawn 

 out, and this concert is kept up for an hour or more. These notes are only uttered 

 when the bird is at rest, sitting on the little hillock surrounding its burrow. While 

 flying about, a chattering sort of note is used, and when alarmed a short shrill 

 'tzip-tzip.' When wounded and enraged it utters a shrill scream and snaps its 

 mandibles rapidly together, making a sort of rattling noise, throws itself on its 

 back, ruffles its feathers, and strikes out vigorously with its talons, and with which 

 it can inflict quite a severe wound. 



Field marks. — The burrowing owl could hardly be mistaken for 

 anything else. It is the only small owl that habitually lives on the 

 ground in open places ; the short-eared owl is much larger and frequents 

 grassier places. A small owl, with very long legs, a very short tail, a 

 compact, rounded head and yellow eyes, is sure to be a burrowing owl. 

 Its curious bobbing habit also is distinctive. 



