TYPICAL OWLS: family Strigidat 



[343] 



mounted specimens taken in those winters. There are two birds in the 

 Jewett collection and two in Gabrielson's collection, all taken in Uma- 

 tilla County in 1916-17 and 1918. Since that time there have been 

 sporadic newspaper references and reports of individual birds taken in 

 various parts of the State. The last actual skin to come into the hands 

 of either author was taken at Seaside, November 2.9, 192.9, and is now 

 in Jewett's collection. 



This white terror of the north is not only the most beautiful but also 

 the most conspicuous of all owls found in the State. Its habit of daylight 

 hunting and its preference for open country cause it to be the victim of 

 the first hunter to get within range, and few Snowy Owls that reach the 

 settled sections of the State live to return to their northern homes. While 

 in Oregon, they prey chiefly upon jack rabbits but are powerful enough 

 to successfully attack China Pheasants, grouse, ducks, or even barnyard 

 fowl when driven by hunger to hunt in the dooryards for something 

 edible. 



Rocky Mountain Pigmy Owl: 



Glaucidium gnoma pinicola Nelson 



DESCRIPTION. Like the California Pygmy Owl, but the browns entirely replaced by 

 gray. "Upper parts grayish brown; head specked and tail barred with white; under 

 parts white, streaked with brown. Eyes lemon yellow; bill and feet dull greenish 

 yellow." (Bailey 192.8.) Si%e: About same as G. g. californicum. Nest: Old wood- 

 pecker holes. Eggs: Usually 4, white. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Rocky Mountain region from Montana, Idaho, and Wash- 

 ington south to Mexican line. In Oregon: Permanent resident of Blue Mountains, 

 including Wallowa, Union, Baker, Grant, and Umatilla Counties, and of northern 

 Malheur and Harney, eastern Crook, and southern Gilliam and Morrow Counties. 

 (See Figure 8.) 



FIGURE 8. Distribution of Pygmy Owls in Oregon: i, Rocky Mountain Pygmy Owl (Glau- 

 cidium gnoma pinicola); x, Coast Pygmy Owl (G. g. grinnelli^); 3, California Pygmy Owl 

 (G. g. californicum). 



