148 BULLETIN 170, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



beetles, Jerusalem cricket, and katydid, as well as an occasional 

 frog, should be added to the list. 



Behavior. — The flight of the barn owl is light, graceful, rather swift 

 at times, and always noiseless; its long, broad wings support its light 

 body with ease and enable it to dash quickly on its prey. It is more 

 strictly nocturnal than some other owls; when pressed for food to feed 

 a hungry brood, it starts to hunt at twilight, but, at other seasons, 

 I believe it prefers to hunt during the darker hours and perhaps all 

 through the night; its food consists mainly of such small mammals as 

 are active only at night. Its sense of hearing is exceedingly acute, 

 enabling it to detect the sound caused by the slightest movement of 

 its quarry; its eyes too are well adapted to night hunting; it seems 

 bewildered in daylight and seems to dislike and shrink from any 

 bright light. It is very inactive during the day, spending the day- 

 light hours in a dark corner in some old or unfrequented building, in 

 a cave, burrow, or hollow tree, in the thick foliage of some tree, or 

 even among the scattered, dead leaves of a more open tree, where its 

 motionless attitude and its concealing coloration make it incon- 

 spicuous. In such a situation it remains drowsily inactive all day, 

 and often sleeps so soundly that it is not easily aroused, until the 

 shadows of dusk awaken it into action again. 



J. Harris Reed (1897) writes: 



During the fall and winter months I have found them roosting both singly and 

 in colonies, depending on the size of their roosting places, and often occupying 

 separate cavities of the same tree. An example of this may be found located in 

 the woods at Glenolden, Delaware County, Pa., which has been a favorite roosting 

 and nesting place for several years. * * * 



On January 31, 1891, * * * I visited this tree and from the numerous 

 holes in its branches counted fourteen Owls fly out during the evening. * * * 

 Again on September 25, 1892, I paid the place a visit, but, arriving a little late 

 in the evening, I saw only four Owls. * * * The Owls leave the roost very 

 early in the evening, often a long time before sunset, departing singly, several 

 minutes elapsing after the exit of one before the appearance of another, each 

 circling around the tree several times before leaving, emitting a note similar to 

 the clucking of a squirrel, probably a call note to their companions. This habit 

 of leaving the roost before sunset, is more noticeable during the breeding season 

 when the days are long and the nestlings require food, and this no doubt accounts 

 for their being seen occasionally during cloudy days searching for food. 



Barn owls are distinctly birds of the open country, rather than 

 woodland birds, and they are less inclined than other owls to shun the 

 haunts of man; they find their best food supplies in the open fields and 

 meadows, and about the barns, granaries, and other buildings in 

 villages, towns, and even cities. Their apparent familiarity with 

 human beings is, doubtless, due to the fact that they are so strictly 

 nocturnal in their habits and so retiring during the day that they are 

 seldom disturbed or even seen by humans. Their silent coming and 

 going is seldom observed; it is surprising how often a pair of these 



