SCREECH OWL (Otus asio) 
Length, about & inches. Our smallest owl 
with ear tufts. There are two distinct phases 
of plumage—one grayish and the other bright 
rufous. 
Range: Resident throughout the United 
States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico 
Habits and economic status: The little 
screech owl inhabits orchards, groves, and 
thickets, and hunts for its prey in such places 
as well as along hedge-rows and in the open 
During warm spells in winter it forages quite 
extensively and stores up in some hollow 
considerable quantities of food for use during 
inclement weather. Such larders f 
contain enough mice or other prey to bridge 
over a period of a week or more. 
exception of the burrowing owl, it is probabl 
the most insectivorous of the nocturnal bir« 
of prey. It feeds also upon small mammals 
birds, reptiles, batrachians, fish, spiders, « - 
fish, scorpions, anéd earthworms. Grasshop 
pers, crickets, ground-dwelling beetles, and 
caterpillars are its favorites among 
are field mice among mammals and sparrows 
among birds. Out of 324 stomachs examined 
169 were found to contain insects; 142, small 
mammals; 56, birds, and 15, crawfish. Thi 
screech owl should be encouraged to stay near 
barns and outhouses, as it will 
house mice and wood mice, 
keep in check 
such places 
White Fish River 
and camera in the other 
waded ashore 
BARN OWL (Aluco pratincola) 
Length, about 17 inche Facial disk not cir- 
cular as in our other owls; plumage above, 
pale yellow; beneath irying trom | white 
to pale br wn 
Range: Resident in Mexi in the uthern 
United States, h t jew \ Ohio 
Nebras! ind California 
Habi nd ecor i tat Che irn owl, 
tten ille« mo! { iced l, it f the 
most ben¢ i t f pre ice if 
feeds almost ¢ é | | 
tl it in} { i} l { rd 
stoc]l it |} i! tne f d 
4 1 ' ’ et 
Col eque | i | 
{ mers, \ I I I C, 
harvest mic¢ f 
poet alt 
\t least a t é t the f 
phe | nd ' 
1 pair of these I : t a 
- aqaie sf f 1 . ( 
ti erestim i 
] ] 1,247 ‘ 
owl colle Sn 
ned 3,100 04, ] r 
ent, wt } ) I | f I 
ied , 
f 1.087 e] 6560 2 
pty 
GH 2 1 SNOW OW! 
