230 birds Every Child Should Know 



BARRED OWL 



Called also: Hoot Owl 



If "a good child should be seen and not 

 heard" what can be said for this owl? Its 

 deep-toned whoo-whoo-who-whoo-to-whoo-ah, like 

 the wail of some lost soul asking the way, is the 

 only indication you are likely to have that a 

 hoot owl lives in your neighbourhood. You 

 can imitate its voice and deliberately "hoot it 

 up." Few people who know its voice will ever 

 see its smooth, roimd, bland, almost human 

 face. 



" As useless as a last year's nest" can have no 

 meaning to a pair of these large hardy owls 

 that go about toward the end of winter looking 

 for a deserted woodpecker's nest or a hawk's, 

 crow's, or squirrel's bulky cradle in some tree 

 top. Ever after they hold it as their own. 



Farmers shoot the owl that occasionally takes 

 one of their broilers or a game bird, not knowing 

 that the remainder of its diet really leaves them 

 in its debt. 



SCREECH OWLS 



A boy I know had a pair of little screech owL 

 invite themselves to live in a box he had nailed 



