232 THE RAPTORIAL BIRDS OF IOWA 



four light buff bars. Below,. light buff marked with brown barrings. 

 Under tail coverts unmarked. 



Measurements. Length, 9 to 1 1 inches ; wing, 6 to 7 inches ; tail, 

 about 3.50 inches. 



Range. Western United States from the Pacific coast to Minne- 

 sota and Louisiana, and from British Columbia and Manitoba south 

 to Panama; migratory north of Oregon and northern Kansas; acci- 

 dental in^New York and Massachusetts. (A. O. U. Checklist, 1910.) 



Though the Burrowing Owl has been found as an accidental strag- 

 gler in New York and Massachusetts, western Iowa may be consid- 

 ered the margin of its legitimate range eastward in this latitude. A 

 bird of the prairie, living in holes excavated frequently by Badgers, 

 Prairie Dogs, Gophers, Foxes and Coyotes, it finds its prey in the 

 open and its cover in the ground. 



Those who have intimately studied its habits speak of its bowing 

 and turning in ludicrous fashion. An interesting description of this 

 is given in Goss' "History of the Birds of Kansas" as follows : "Their 

 figure is peculiar; with their long legs and short tail the element of 

 the grotesque is never wanting. It is hard to say whether they look 

 most ludicrous as they stand stiffly erect and motionless, or when 

 they suddenly turn tail to duck into the hole, or when engaged in their 

 various antics. Bolt upright, on what may be imagined their rostrum, 

 they gaze about with a bland and self-satisfied but earnest air, as if 

 about to address an audience upon a subject of great pith and mo- 

 ment. They suddenly bow low, with profound gravity, and, rising 

 abruptly, they begin to twitch their faces and roll their eyes about in 

 the. most mysterious manner, gesticulating wildly, every now and 

 then bending forward till the breast almost touches the ground, to 

 propound the argument with most telling effect ; then they face about 

 to address the rear, that all may alike feel the force of their argu- 

 ment ; they draw themselves up to the fullest height, outwardly calm 

 and self contained, pausing in the discourse to note its effect upon the 

 audience and collect their wits for the next rhetorical flourish. And 

 no distant likeness between these frothy orators and others is found 

 in the celerity with which they subside and seek their holes on the 

 slightest intimation of danger." 



R. M. Anderson in his "Birds of Iowa" gives records for the fol- 

 lowing counties: 1895, Dickinson (Salisbury); 1904, Kossuth 

 (Bingaman) ; 1896, Lyon (Professor B. Shimek) ; 1902, Sioux 

 .(Johnson); 1890, Linn (Berry); 1898, Woodbury (Bond, Rich, 

 Trostler). On September 9, 1916, Mr. J. A. Spurrell of Wall Lake, 



