THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Hancock; quite often seen, resident, (Knight). Kennebec; rare, (Gardiner 

 Branch). Knox; resident, (Rackliff). Oxford; breeds, (Nash). Penobscot; 

 most of ten in spring and fall but not rare in summer, breeds, (Knight). 

 Piscataquis; common resident, breeds, (Homer). Sagadahoc; spring, fall 

 and winter, (Spinney). Somerset; resident, (Morrell) ; local breeding bird 

 in northern county, (Knight). Waldo; rare resident, (Knight). Washing- 

 ton; common resident, (Boardman). York; breeds, (Adams). 



This, the smallest of our Owls, is practically resident locally 

 throughout the State, being however the most generally observed 

 in fall and winter. I have known of one well authenticated 

 instance where persons in Bangor heard a tapping at their 

 window one stormy winter evening and on opening the window 

 one of these little Owls flew in. 



During the breeding season they utter a peculiar call, much 

 resembling the filing of a saw, uttered rapidly in a whistling 

 tone. The birds invariably nest in some hole in a tree such 

 as a natural cavity or deserted Woodpecker excavation, or nests 

 have been built in an artificial cavity, made by boring a hole 

 in the section of a trunk, plugging the ends, making an entrance 

 in the side and nailing it to a tree. Three to eight pure white 

 eggs are laid in mid April to early May, and the eggs seem 

 sometimes to be laid at intervals of two or three days, judging 

 by different stages of incubation or the difference in the sizes 

 of the young birds. . The eggs measure about 1.22 x 0.98. 

 The food of the species is mice, shrews, other small mammals 

 and insects. 



Genus MEGASCOPS Kaup. 



373. Meg-ascops asio (hinn.^. Screech Owl; Mottled Owl; 

 Little Horned Owl; Red Owl. 



Plumage of adults in red phase : above rufous, streaked with black ; below 

 white, feathers streaked with black and barred with rufous. Plumage of 

 adults in gray phase : above brownish gray with black streaks and huffish 

 spots ; below white, streaked and barred with fine marks of black and rufous. 

 Immature plumage : barred above as well as below with grayish or whitish 

 and rufous. Tarsus feathered, toes only scantily or not at all feathered in 

 all plumages. Provided also with conspicuous ear tufts about an inch long. 

 Wing e.OO.to 7.00, 



