HAWK OWL. 

 Siirnia uliila oaimrncli. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"N.I oar tints: tail rnuiided at tips, and indistinctly barred 

 uitli white: top of hoad and back of neck spotted with white 

 and hia.k, or dark linnvn: a patch of unirorm blackish or 

 ilark blown .m .ach sid.' .if liind neck; upper parts brown, more 

 III- ii-^ -|..,tt,,i \\\\\\ whii. : liiwfi- parts regularly barred with 

 bi-..«M l.-imilu 1 I V.'i i.i 1, ,.M nohes; extent 31 to 33 inches." 



ll.thidil. \i II. Xiii.ii.;., iiii,i;rating in winter to the north- 

 (Mii l..ii.l.r .'I 111. I'liii..! Sl^iii's. Rare strag'.fi:ler in Pennsyl- 



Tliis oiiiiotis bird partakes of the general appear- 

 aiifo, and also the hal)i(s, of both a hawk and an owl, 

 and is said to be prin<i]ially diurnal, in fact writers 

 assert that it is as active in daytime as any of the 

 hawks. This species occurs in Pennsylvania only as a 

 rare and irregular winter visitor. 



ITS FOOD AND HABITS. 



Having never had an opportunity of studying this 

 liiid ill life 1 quote the following from Dr. A. K. Fish- 

 er's r.nlletin: 



"The food of this owl varies considerably at different times 

 ot the year. In summer it feeds on tlie s-maller mammals, such 

 as mice, lemmings and ground squirrels as well as insects of 

 various kinds, while in winter, when the snow is deep and its 

 favorite food is hidden, it follows the large nocks of ptai-migans 

 and .sulisists on them. Dr. Dall seldom found anything but 

 mice in the crops of those he dissected in Alaska, and the fol- 

 lowing from Dr. Coues mentions the same food: "It feeds chiefly 

 upon liehl mice (Arvieolael which swarm in the sphagnous 

 vegetation of arctic lands: also upon small birds, grasshoppers 

 and other insects." (P.irds of the Northwest. 1S7I. p. 312. i 



"Mr. Henry Seebuhm speaks of its food as follows: 'The prin- 

 cipal food of the Hawk Owl is mice and lemmings, and the 

 bird follows the migratory parties of the last named little 

 mammal to prey upon them. From its indomitable spirit, how- 

 ever, few birds of the forest are safe from its attack. In addi- 

 tion to the smaller birds which it captures, WheeKvright men- 

 tions the fact that he has seen the Hawk Owl strike down the 



