The Goshawk is probably a summer resident- 

 and may nest in the northern part of the state, 

 but positive data are lacking. Further south it 

 is strictly a winter bird. 



A little larger than the coiuumn Red-tailed 

 Hawk — 22 to 24 inches. Generally grayish in 

 color, darker above, and below finely waved 

 throughout with light gray and white. Immature 

 birds are quite different in appearance; brownish 

 and buffy, with under parts heavily streaked with 

 black on a white or light buff ground; tail bar- 

 red. 



*4. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (Archibuteo 

 lagopus sancti-johannis). A not uncommon liawk 

 in the northwestern part of the state where it 

 is possibly a summer resident and nesting in lim- 

 ited numbers. Further south and east it is less 

 frequent and seen usually during the late fall and 

 early spring, and now and then during the winter. 

 Lanesboro, Fillmore county, one killed Dec. 26. 

 1889 (Dr. Hvoslef). 



About the size of the common Red-tail — 22 

 inches long — dark above and light below where it 

 is streaked and spotted, especially behind, there 

 forming a broken dark band. The distinguish- 

 ing features are the complete feathering of the 

 tarsus, or shank, in front and the heavily marked 

 under parts. There is a dark phase in which the 

 plumage is practically black throughout. 



The Ferruginous Rough-leg, a western species 

 so closely related that it is difficult to distinguish 

 except on close examination, probably enters the 

 state occasionally from its home in the Dakotas. 



*5. GRAY GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus 

 rusticolus). A rare visitor from the far north. 

 There are two other sub-species of the Gyrfalcon 

 either of which may occasionally enter Minne- 

 sota, but the specimens so far taken are refer- 

 able to F. r. rusticolus. Madison, Lac qui Parle 

 county, Dec. 11, 1894, female shot, "stomach con- 

 tained remains of a Prairie Hen." (Albert Lano, 

 Auk, XIX, April, 1912, p. 239.) 



The Gyrfalcons have long pointed wings, are 

 trim, keen looking birds and are bold and power- 

 ful hunters. A magnificent white species over 

 two feet long is found in the Arctic regions. 

 Our bird is 20 inches in length; dark above, bar- 

 red with white on back, and is white below, heav- 

 ily streaked or spotted throuahout 



*6. SNOWY OWL (Nyctea nyctea). Gener- 

 ally distributed over the prairie and more openly 

 wooded portions of the state in the winter sea- 

 son, but it is only during an occasional winter 

 that it is at all common. It may appear in the 

 southern part of the state as early as October 

 (Minneapolis, Oct. IS, 1876) and sometimes re- 

 mains as late as the second week of May. 



J. N. Sandford reported one in Grant county. 



May 10, 1879. Dr. L. O. Dart secured a female 

 shot near Litchfield, Meeker county, on June 3, 

 1890, and states that a second bird was seen at 

 the same place a day or two later — a most ex- 

 ceptional occurrence. 



It is a large and wary bird of powerful, rapid 

 flight and capable of including in its usual diet- 

 ary of mice and sinall birds, such larger quarry 

 as chickens and rabbits. It hunts by day as well 

 as at night. 



Two feet and over in length; colors white, 

 barred with dark brown and black; eyes yellow; 

 legs and feet heavily feathered. 



*7. RICHARDSON'S OWL (Cryptoglaux 

 funerea richardsoni). A little owl 10 inches long, 

 without ear tufts; upper parts grayish-brown 

 spotted throughout with white; under parts 

 white, heavily streaked with brownish. It oc- 

 curs chiefly in the northern part of the state, 

 where it was found as late as April 13, 1899, by 

 P. B. Peabody. Now and then it wanders in lim- 

 ited numbers to the southeastern counties where 

 it may appear as early as October and remain as 

 late as early March. Minneapolis. Oct. 20, 1895, 

 a specimen taken by H. M. Guilford. Lanesboro, 

 Fillmore county, Jan. 19, 1885 (Dr. Hvoslef). 

 Cambridge, Isanti county, Jan. 31, 1914, and Mar. 

 1, 1914, (Lofstrom, Auk, XXXII, Oct. 1915, p. 

 502). 



A bird of this species that I kept in captivity 

 for some time uttered at night a series of soft 

 eerie whistling notes that were so ventriloqual 

 in character that it was difticult to locate the 

 source. 



*8. HAWK OWL (Surnia ulula caparoch). .\ 



medium-sized diurnal owl that occurs sparingly 

 throughout the woodlands of the state, though 

 apparently more numerous in the northern for- 

 ests. It is a bird of swift, strong flight, and for 

 its size, of much prowess. I have seen it in full 

 pursuit of a tame pigeon, the chase leading with 

 terrific speed to and fro in great zigzags, and at 

 times high into the air over a tamarack swamp 

 where the owl was making its temporary home. 

 The pigeon escaped through its superior agility, 

 but was hard-pressed for a time. This occurred 

 in bright sunlight at midday. When sitting qui- 

 etly in the woods it is a tame and indifferent 

 bird. 



Vernon Bailey reports seeing ten of these owls 

 in the vicinity of Elk River, Sherburne county, 

 between Oct. 27, 1884, and Jan. 1, 1885, an un- 

 usual record. E. L. Brown wrote they were 

 common in Marshall County in the fall of 1888. 



The Hawk Owl is 15 inches long; ashy brown 

 and white, barred below and on back, and spot- 

 ted on top of head and hindneck; breast white 

 with middle dark patch on throat; no ear tufts; 

 tail long and rounded. 



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