KEY TO IOWA OWLS 48 



Rufous spots on primaries. Immature : Back blackish 

 mixed with rufous and white, below buff streaked with 

 rufous and grayish brown, head black and white streaked. 

 Mississippi Kite. 



Length 10 to 14 inches. Tail long and square at tip with sev- 

 eral dusky bars. Wings rounded. Adult : Blue-gray above, 

 darker on head. Below whitish with reddish or dusky bars 

 mostly on breast and sides. Immature : Dusky above with 

 light spots and rusty edges to feathers, below whitish with 

 brown or dusky streaks. Sharp-shinned Hawk. No. 5. 



Length 10 to 13 inches. Bluish slate above, broken buffy 

 collar on neck, under parts creamy to ochraceous with dark 

 streaks except on throat. Pigeon Hawk. No. 20. 



Length 10 inches. Above bright rufous and black. Much 

 slate blue on wings and head. Sparrow Hawk. No. 21. 



C. 

 A KEY TO IOWA OWLS. 



Owls with Conspicuous Ear Tufts. 



Largest size; length 20 inches or more. 

 Great Horned Owls. 



1. Darker; Great Horned Owl. Common. No. 30. 



2. Lighter; Western Horned Owl. Rare. No. 30-B. 



Medium size; length more than 13 and less than 16 inches. 



Long-eared Owl. Dark colored; ear tufts very long. Com- 

 mon. No. 24. 



Smallest size; length less than 12 inches. 



Screech Owl. Either red or grey. Very common. No. 29. 

 Owls with Inconspicuous or No Ear Tufts. 



Largest size; length 19 inches or more. 



Length 26 to 28 inches. Great Grey Owl. Eyes yellow. 

 Very rare. No. 27. 



Length 22 to 26 inches. Snowy Owl. Feet white. Winter. 

 No. 31. 



Length 19 to 22 inches. Barred Owl. Eyes dark. Common. 



No. 26. 



