barred, sides and belly broadly streaked with 

 blackish; eyes deep brown, apparently black; face 

 gray, finely barred with blackish; legs, feet and 

 toes feathered. 



A large gray owl, with apparently black eyes; 

 the smooth round head is another striking char- 

 acter. 



Screech Owl 



373. Screech Owl — Otus asio asio. 



A small owl. Length 9^ inches. 



Individuals may be reddish or grayish. Reddish 

 phase — Upperparts bright rufous, finely streaked 

 with black; underparts white, feathers streaked 

 with black and barred with rufous; eyes bright 

 yellow. Gray phase — Upperparts brownish gray, 

 streaked with black and mottled finely with buffy; 

 underparts white, finely streaked and finely barred 

 with black, bordered with some rufous. 



The smallest of our common owls; seen in vari- 

 ous sorts of places, as in trees and on or about 

 buildings, both in and out of towns. Its weird, 



49 



