374 



Trees, Stars, and Birds 



Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 Barn owls. 



in number, and nearly 

 spherical, the greater di- 

 ameter being more than 

 2 inches. The young 

 are covered with gray 

 down. 



The great horned owl 

 kills and devours a large 

 variety of animals, 

 mice, rabbits, reptiles, 

 fish, and insects, as well 

 as crows, large hawks, owls, wild ducks, doves, bob- 

 whites, half-grown turkeys, chickens, and guinea hens. 

 Although it does some good by killing creatures that 

 are injurious, yet it destroys so much poultry that we 

 must consider it at times, at least, a harmful bird. 



The barn owl. Owls in general are so unusual as 

 to attract a good deal of attention, but the barn owl, 

 or " monkey-faced owl," is peculiar even among owls. 

 It has conspicuous disks of feathers radiating from the 

 eyes and setting off the face from the surrounding plum- 

 age. Its color is bright reddish brown, the under parts 

 showing a good deal of white. In size it is intermediate 

 between the screech owl and the great horned owl. 



Most kinds of owls spend the daytime in the woods, 

 but the barn owl is sometimes found in large numbers 

 inhabiting a church steeple, a town hall, or other build- 

 ing where its presence had not been suspected. It is 

 generally distributed over the United States except 

 in the northern part. Flying only at night, it is not often 

 seen. It is one of the most useful of birds. It lives al- 



