166 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



in his notes that a pair of pigeon hawks had a nest within 150 yards 

 of his long-eared owl's ground nest, and that "whenever the owl 

 flushed from the nest one of the pigeon hawks swooped to attack it 

 and drive it away. This happened almost invariably." 

 Winter. — Edward H. Forbush (1927) remarks: 



There seems to be a general belief that owls do not migrate, but with this 

 species as well as some others that range far to the north, there is a regular south- 

 ward movement from the most northern part of the range, a general migration 

 which is evident also for a greater or less distance to the southward of their usual 

 breeding range. Therefore, in spring and autumn Long-eared Owls are more 

 numerous in New England than at any other season. Mr. H. H. Bailey says that 

 large numbers come into Florida from farther north to spend the winter there, 

 the time of their arrival depending much upon weather conditions in the north, 

 but that many arrive by December and depart northward in March. 



William Jay (1923) found a large colony of long-eared owls "winter- 

 ing in a dense growth of pines and other coniferous trees growing along 

 the Skippack Creek at Evansburg, Pa. No less than fifty of these 

 birds were congregated in this grove. I was worldng my way slowly 

 through the trees, when I came upon nine of these Owls at close range. 

 As I did not wish to disturb them I backed slowly away, but right in 

 to the main colony where I saw five or six Owls on every tree around 

 me." 



Dr. Alvin R. Calm and J. T. Kemp (1930) found a colony of seven 

 of these owls wintering "in an evergreen in the heart of the residence 

 district of the city of Urbana," 111. The numbers varied from four 

 to seven, the latter number being counted on 44 occasions. The birds 

 were first noted on November 8, 1926, and they remained until the 

 following April 2; they returned to the same tree on October 21, 1927, 

 and left on March 16 next. These may have been family parties. 



Major Bendire (1892), on February 23, 1872, "saw about fifteen of 

 these birds sitting close together on a small mesquite tree in a dense 

 thicket in the Rillitto Creek bottom, near Tucson, Arizona." E. S. 

 Cameron (1907), referring to Montana, says that "in fall and winter 

 these owls occupy cavities in high cut banks of the badlands; Messrs. 

 Archdale found a Long-eared Owl frozen to death in a badland hole." 



The foregoing accounts, and numerous others, show that the long- 

 eared owl migrates southward to some extent in fall and spends the 

 winter almost anywhere that it can find suitable cover between the 

 northern and southern borders of the United States. They also show 

 that the species is decidedly gregarious at this season and indicate the 

 probability that the young remain with their parents during their 

 first winter. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Temperate zones of North America. 



Breeding range. — The breeding range of the long-eared owl extends 

 north to Mackenzie (Fort Simpson and Fort Providence); Saskatche- 



