BIRDS OF PREY 



37S. Screech Owl. Otus asio asio. 



Range. — North America, east of the plains 

 and from the southern British Provinces to 

 Florida. 



This well known 

 species, which is of- 

 ten called "Little 

 Horned Owl" be- 

 cause of its ear tufts 

 is found either in the 

 type form of some of \ 

 its varieties in all \ 

 parts of the United 

 States. They have 

 two color phases, the 

 plumage being either 

 a yellowish brown or 



gray, and black and white; these color phases 

 are not dependent upon sex or locality, as often 

 young or both phases are found in the same 

 nest; the gray phase is the most abundant. 

 They nest anywhere in hollow trees, being 

 found very frequently in decayed stubs of apple trees. They also often nest in 

 barns or other old buildings which are not frequented too freely. Their food 

 consists chiefly of mice and meadow moles, with occasionally small birds. 

 During April or May they lay their white eggs, the full complemenl of which 

 is from five to eight. Size 1.35 x 1.20. The nesting habits of all the sul> species, 

 as far as we can learn, are exactly like those of the eastern Screech Owl; the 

 eggs cannot be distinguished, and in most cases, even the birds cannot be dis- 

 tinguished. 



WliitP 



Screech 1 » w 



373a. Florida Screech Owl. Otus asio floridanus. 



Range.- — South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



Slightly smaller and darker than asio. The eggs average slightly smaller. 

 Size 1.30 x 1.15. 



373b. Texas Screech Owl. Otus asio mccalli. 

 Range. — Texas, and southward into Mexico. Very similar to floridanus. 



373c. California S< ree< h Owl. Otus asi<> bendirei. 



Range.— Coast of California and Oregon. Size of. hut darker than asio. 



173d. Kennicott's Screech Owl. Otus asio kennicotti. 



Range.- Pacific oast from Oregon to Alaska. This i- the darkest of the 

 Screech owls and averages a trifle larger than the eastern form. 



Ho. k-j Moi \t\i\ S< hi 1 ■■< 11 Owl. Otus asio maxwelli*. 



Range, foothills of the Rockies, from Colorado to Montana. This is the 

 palest form ol the Screech Owl. < >f the same atae •< ,lj '- ' ' 



