LONG-EARED OWL 159 



noise other than a snapping of the bill; this bird uttered a number 

 of loud shrill prolonged squeaks, similar to one of the notes uttered 

 by the adults." 



When he visited the nest again, five days later, the young were 

 from two to three weeks old; he writes: 



There are only three owls in the nest, and since it is highly improbable that the 

 two largest birds could have learned to fly, it would seem that they have fallen 

 out of the nest. This is all the more indicated by the surprising lack of care with 

 which the remaining young move about in the nest when I approach — entirely 

 unlike the behavior of hawks. They raise their wings, snap their bills, and with- 

 out the slightest hesitation back right off the nest. Bird c saved itself only by 

 clinging desperately to the under side, where it could not have remained long 

 unaided. Bird d fell all the way to the ground, striking a large limb in its descent, 

 and was unable to use its wings other than to break the force of the fall. This 

 inability to remain in the nest until the power of flight is gained would appear to 

 be a considerable liability to the species, especially because of the danger from 

 predatory animals. * * * 



The remaining birds are more aggressive than ever. Like the Barn Owl, they 

 throw themselves upon their backs and use their claws when hard pressed, and 

 like these owls, they also run at the intruder of their own accord. 



Plumages.— The young long-eared owl is hatched with eyes closed, 

 but they open within a few days. It is sparsely clothed in short 

 pure-white down on the main feather tracts only, with bare spaces 

 between them; the facial disks are prominent and covered with white 

 down. When huddled down in the nest the bird appears fully cov- 

 ered, but, as it moves about, the bare spaces are exposed; hence it is 

 necessary for the parent to brood the yoimg at this stage. 



After a week or ten days the white down begins to be replaced by 

 the soft, downy ju venal plumage. When about three weeks old the 

 young bird is nearly half grown and the wing quills are partly out of 

 their sheaths; the body is well covered with the long, soft, downy 

 plumage; this is basally dusky on the head and neck, with grayish 

 white tips, giving a hoary effect; on the under parts it is basally pale 

 buff, terminally grayish white, and with two to four dusky bands on 

 each feather; the downy plumage on the back is similar but with more 

 buff and more distinct bands; the long, fluffy, grizzly down on the 

 thighs is very prominent, the tail is still in sheaths, and the facial 

 disks are conspicuously brownish black. 



During the next two weeks the hoary down on the crown and nape 

 is replaced by short, dusky feathers with broad, silvery-white tips; 

 the wings and tail are growing, and the first winter plumage is replac- 

 ing the downy plumage, first on the upper and then on the lower parts. 

 At the age of six or seven weeks, the young owl is fully grown, the 

 wings and tail are as in the adult, and nearly all the downy contour 

 plumage has been molted; the last traces of immaturity to disappear 

 are the hoary-tipped feathers of the crown and the downy plumage 



