Nesting of American Long-eared Owl 99 



Godwits behave like Black Terns after the nest of the 

 former are actually found, but until then the male very 

 cleverly controls his actions in such a manner as to defy 

 the application of any fixed set of rules, should an effort be 

 made to analyze his conduct. 



Gerard Alan Abbott 



NESTING OF AMEKICAN LONG EAKED OWL 



During- a walk in search of birds, on March 16, I and 

 my two brothers discovered two long-eared owls in an 

 evergreen tree in a deserted farm-yard. 



After a period of two weeks we again visited this 

 locality and saw but one of the owls in the same tree. We 

 concluded at that time that the female must be upon her 

 nest some place near. We continued our journey to an old 

 orchard about a quarter of a mile away and while looking 

 for screech owls' nests, I noticed two long feathery tufts 

 protruding over a thick collection of sticks in a crotch in 

 an apple tree about fifteen feet above the ground. Upon 

 closer examination I noticed two bright eyes peering at me 

 from beneath a stick. I called my brothers and showed 

 them this queer specimen. I climbed a tree about twenty 

 feet away for further investigation and to my astonishment 

 a long eared owl flew out. I had my camera along but I 

 could secure no good pictures. My brother climbed the 

 tree in which the nest was located and obtained a picture 

 of the nest and eggs which turned out well. 



About the nest small branches were very dense, thereby 

 offering very good protection for a secluded nest. The 

 nest itself was composed entirely of sticks with but a very 

 few leaves for a lining. The three eggs in the nest were 

 completely white. In another crotch in the same tree we 

 observed an old nest, identical in composition to the pres- 

 ent one. As the long-eared owl has been recorded in this 

 vicinity every year recently, doubtless the second nest was 

 last year's. 



