OWLS 



47 

 Resident in 



54. 



90. Longeared-owl [Asio otus otus (Linnaeus)], 

 many woodland districts. 



Bird. Length 14 in. Distinguished by the 

 long so-called "ears" (1| in.). Sexes much 

 alike except that the female is larger. Iris 

 yellow, in which this owl differs from the tawny 

 and barn-owls, which have the irides dark brown. 

 Upper-parts buff with dusky streaks and 

 vermiculations and paler mottlings. Wing and 

 tail quills have dusky bars. Under-parts mainly 

 buff' with dusky striations, bars and vermicula- 

 tions. 



Nest. None made. The eggs are usually laid 

 in the deserted nest of Crows or Hawks and 

 other large species, and in squirrels' dreys ; als>o 

 on the ground. 



Eggs. Usually 3-5. White. Av. size, l'58x 1'62. Laying 

 begins March- April, exceptionally earlier. One brood usual. 



91- Shorteared-owl [Asio flammeus flammeus (Pontop- 

 pidan) ; Asio accipitrinus (Pallas)]. Resident chiefly on the 

 northern moors. Exceptional in Ireland. Also winter visitor 

 and bird of passage. 



Bird. Length 14 J in. Distinguished from the 

 longeared by the short " ears," the absence of 

 bars on the under-parts, which are pale buff 

 streaked with brown, and by its habitat, which 

 is the open country, moors, fens, and the like, that 

 of the longeared being woodland. The female is 

 larger and is somewhat darker. Upper parts buff 

 blotched and streaked with brown. Disc brownei 

 than that of the longeared form. Wings and tail 

 pale buff barred with dark brown. Irides yellow. 



Nest. None made, except it be a scratch in the 

 ground. The eggs are laid on the ground in a 

 marsh, on moorland, sand-dunes, or pasture. 



Eggs. Usually 4-7. White. Av. size, 1*57 x 1-21. Laying 

 begins March- April, exceptionally earlier. Broods 1-2, some- 

 times 3. 



92. Tawny-owl, brown-owl, wood-owl [Strix aluco aluco 

 Linnaeus ; Syrnium aluco (Linnseus)]. Stationary in wooded 

 districts of Great Britain. Absent Ireland. 



Bird. Length 15-18 in. Distinguished from the barn-owl 

 by its brownish plumage, and the familiar note or hoot, the tu- 

 whit, to-who of Shakespeare. The coloration varies between 

 two distinct types the grey and the red. The grey type has 

 the body plumage grey streaked, mottled, and more or less 



Fig. 55. 



