[352-] BIRDS OF OREGON 



Valley, the Grande Ronde Valley, and in the Klamath Basin. Except 

 during these gatherings, this owl is only occasionally seen by the average 

 observer, even though it is widely distributed in the State. It has been 

 reported breeding in Harney Valley (Bendire 1877), Malheur and Klamath 

 Lakes (Cantwell, Biological Survey files), Umatilla County (Lewis, Bio- 

 logical Survey files), and Morrow County (Jewett) in eastern Oregon. 

 For a nest it gathers together a nondescript mass of material on the 

 ground and there lays its eggs. 



In western Oregon it is much less common and is most often noted in 

 the southern Willamette Valley, between Corvallis and Eugene, and along 

 the Columbia in the vicinity of Portland. Scattered individuals have 

 been recorded for many localities in that part of the State, where an 

 observer may expect to see an occasional wintering bird almost anywhere. 

 In the winter of 1934-35, a considerable flight of these owls arrived on 

 Sauvies Island and remained throughout the winter. At various times we 

 saw from 6 to 10 birds in a single morning. 



This owl is a day-flying bird to some extent. On cloudy days it is 

 frequently seen flying slowly about over the marshlands with steady 

 vigorous sweeps of the long wings, and it often starts its hunting activi- 

 ties before sundown. Even when flushed in bright sunlight, it is able to 

 see its way about without a great deal of difficulty. One stomach taken 

 at Enterprise, May 31, 192.8, contained three young Microtus, just about 

 what one would expect, considering the foraging habits of the bird. 



Richardson's Owl: 



Crypfoglaux funerea richardsoni (Bonaparte) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults: Eye ring black, face whitish; under parts gray, heavily 

 blotched with dark brown across breast and streaked with dark brown on belly; 

 upper parts dark brown, spotted with white; flanks and feet usually buffy, more or less 

 spotted with brown; under tail coverts striped with brown. Young: face blackish, eye- 

 brows and malar streak white in sharp contrast; wings and tail like adult; body 

 plain seal brown except for yellowish brown on belly and flanks; flanks more or 

 less spotted with brown. Length: 9-11, wing 6.60-7.40, tail 4.10-4.70." (Bailey) 

 Nest: In holes in trees. Eggs: 3 to 6, white. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from tree limit south to northern parts of British 

 Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. Winters south to United States 

 boundary and casually farther south. In Oregon: Rare winter straggler from the 

 north. 



AUDUBON (1838), Townsend (1839), Cassin (Cassin 1856; Baird, Cassin, 

 and Lawrence 1858), and Bendire (1892.) all listed Richardson's Owl. 

 The first three references were based on Townsend 's statement that it 

 was "found in the territory of Oregon," and Bendire said it was not rare 

 at Camp Harney. The only definite record since Bendire's work is a 

 specimen now in the Biological Survey collection (No. 184845) that was 

 taken at Fort Klamath, March xi, 1901, by B. S. Cunningham. 



