I04 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



through the solitudes. For when niglit has fallen 

 the big Swamp Owl must be up and doing. 

 IVhoo, ivhoo, zvhoo, ivlio, who, to-hoo-ha! he 

 shouts, emphasis and great stress being laid on 

 the last two syllables as though he would ques- 

 tion your presence, and challenge your right to 

 invade his domain. The volume and variety of 

 these ivho, who call notes is one of the wonders 

 of the wilderness and when two or three males 

 get to discussing affairs together the animation 

 they inject into the melody is c|uite alarming to a 

 timid person not accustomed to the sounds. Of 

 all the Owls, these bar-breasted fellows are pre- 

 eminently the most proficient hooters. 



This owl-music is usually heard mainly in the 

 fore part of the night. Long before midnight it 

 dies down, only to spring up again before sunrise. 

 During the day they seldom call except in rainy 

 or cloudy weather. On moonlight nights their 

 serenade is at times continuous. They seem tu 

 possess a certain amount of curiosity, and will 

 often respond to a human imitation of their notes 

 even though it be but rudely rendered. In 

 Florida on one occasion five of these birds came 

 close about my camp one night and from the 

 trees overhead looked down at the fire while 



every one in his own language hooted and called 

 with an energy worthy of a better subject. 



Barred Owls begin nesting as early as March 

 or April. They appear never to build a nest of 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



BARRED OWL (i nat. size) 

 The most proficient hooter among the Owls 



Photu by n. K. J. lb Courtesy of Outing Pub. Co. 



YOUNG BARRED OWL 



Mr. Job found it in a hollow tree 



their own and not infrequently select a deserted 

 nest of a Crow or a Hawk. More often they 

 seek the hollow of some tree and here well up 

 from the ground lay their white eggs. These 

 usually number two in Florida, although farther 

 north four are frequently found. 



" The egg of a Barred Owl in the nest of a 

 Red-shouldered Hawk has twice been found by 

 Dr. Louis Bennet Bishop ; both times in the same 

 piece of woodland, which had been reduced from 

 an extensive tract by wood-choppers, thvts leav- 

 ing few suitable nesting-places for large birds. 

 One contained three eggs of the Hawk and one 

 of the Barred Owl, with the Owl on the nest ; 

 the other contained two eggs of the Hawk and 

 one of the Barred Owl, with the Red-shouldered 

 Hawk on the nest. As the Hawk's eggs were in 

 both instances further advanced in incubation 

 this species was probably the original owner of 



