KEY TO THE BIRDS. 



** Horned Owls. 



Above finely mottled with brown, ash, and dark orange. Long, 

 erect ear tufts. Complete facial disk reddish brown with 

 darker inner circle ; dark brown, broken band on wings and 

 tail. Breast pale orange with long, brown stripes. Legs and 

 feet completely feathered. Bill and claws blackish. 



American I.oiig-eared Owl. See i)age 307. 



Inconspicuous ear tufts, facial disk with a dark ring enclosing a 

 lighter one. Plumage varied from bright orange to buffy white 

 with bold stripes of dark brown. Darker above, and more 

 mottled below, growing whiter toward vent. Legs feathered 

 with plain buif . Bill and claws dusky blue-black. 



Short-eared Owl. See page 208. 



Conspicuous ear tufts, bill light horn colour. Plumage either gray- 

 ish or rust-red and mottled ; tail and wings equal. Feet covered 

 with short dark feathers. Claws dark. A small common Owl. 



Screech Owl. See page 311. 



Large heavy Owl. Long ear tufts, feathers mottled irregularly, 

 buff, tawny brown or whitish. Feet and legs feathered ; bill 

 and claws black. 



Great Horned Owl. See page 313. 



B. DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY, WITH SMALLER HEADS 

 THAN THE LAST GROUP, CONSPICUOUSLY HOOKED 

 BILLS AND CLAWS, NO HORNS OR PERFECT FACIAL 

 DISKS. FLIGHT GRACEFUL AND RAPID ; PLUMAGE 

 PLAIN, STREAKED OR MOTTLED. 



* Plumage brightly coloured or much varied. 



1. Tail long. Eyes reddish brown. Above bluish gray, deepest on 



head. Beneath whitish, barred on the sides and breast with 



rusty and dark brown. Small head, long legs, slender feet. 



Flight dashing. 



Sharp-shinned Hawk. See page 316. 



2. Similar to last species, but larger. Tail rounded and barred with 



dusky or rufous. Feet rather stout, greenish yellow. 



Cooper's Hawk. See page 31'7. 



3. Tail rust-red, with a black band near end. Above dark brown 



variegated with white, gray, and tawny ; below whitish and buff, 

 streaked below with brown. Bill horn-coloured. 



Ked-tailed Hawk. See i>age 318. 

 297 



