SHORT-EARED OWL 



407 



Short-eared Owl ^''°"^ ^'""^ preceding species the short-eared owl (the 

 (Asio aeeipitrinus)/"^-^'^'^ /^/vrr//,.;///.- of some authors) is, as ah-eady 

 mentioned, easily distinguished by its shorter " horns." 

 In addition to this, the grey stipplings and trans\-erse barring of the 

 feathers of the back are absent, while the bars on the tail of the present 

 species are broad and restricted in number to five, whereas in the long- 

 eared bird they are narrower and more numerous. The general colour- 

 ing is buff, thickly streaked and blotched with dark brown. A slight 

 superiority in size over her partner serves to distinguish the hen. In 

 }"Oung birds the colour of the plumage is browner and darker, and the 



SHOKT-KAKEU OWLS. 



markings are more pronounced ; while the eyes are sulphur-yellow in 

 place of golden yellow. The long down of the nestling is greyish 

 white in colour. 



Although unknown in Iceland, the short-eared owl has an almost 

 world-wide distribution ; the American form not being separated even 

 as a race. To the British Isles the species is chiefly an immigrant 

 for the summer-months, although it is stated to be resident throughout 

 the year in the west of Scotland, and in 1904 it was recorded as 

 breeding near Scarborough. Its breeding-range extends as far north 

 as Lapland, and in Great Britain includes the Orkneys, Scotland, and 

 the north of England ; while nests have been found from time to 

 time in Yorkshire, Norfolk (from which county the British Museum 



