OVVI.S. ._,,;; 



The note c.f tln> Fi>h Hawk is a high, rapidly repeated, plaintive 



wln-.ll. 



1 \MILY STRIGII>,. BARN OWLS. 



The Barn Owls, numbering some ei^ht or ten .KjM-cics. arc found 

 nearly throughout the U-iujterate and tropical regions. They differ 

 from other Owls in structure, but share with them tin- characteristic 

 habits of the suborder Strigra. 



366. Strix pratlncola. !: .>/'. AVKKI. AN HAKN Owi. ; MONKET- 



> \.fi- iiwi.. i Sec Fitf. ;i". i All. l'|>|>er part* inixrl jfniy uiid <x-lir 

 buff, finely n|*fkh-d with blwk uiul white; tail van in^ frrn white t<> oehra- 

 oeoua-butt. ifeMerally mottled with hluck, aiul .-inctiiMf with three or four 

 narrow black ham; urulor part* and fue'utl .li>k vuniinr frn\ pun- whit.- to 

 deep oehruee<>u*-liutl, the former ^encrully with iiuineri>u.s xiiuill, lilnek, round 

 ho facial dik narn>wly iiiarjrine.l by <H-hruecus-hutl or rufoUM; eyes 

 black. L., 18tK); N\ ., 1 1 :.o. 



Kanyt. North Ainericti ; o<-.-u.-io!ially fniind IL tar urth n Mamachu- 

 acttm and brvcda fnnu \.<>ifj l-land Muitliwurd through Mexico. 



Waithington, not rare I*. K. Sinjr Siin;, A. V. 



'. iu a tower or tttceplc, a hole in a tree or batik. /'}"./". five to nin<^ 

 1-78 x 1-80. 



The Barn Owl conceals itself so well during the day that, in my 

 experience, it is a difficult bird to observe, even in localities where it is 

 common. For this reason the capture of one of these odd-\ 

 birds is frequently the cause of much excitement over the supposed 

 discovery of an animal entirely new t<> >ciein-e. and which, by the local 

 press, u generally considered half bird, half monkey ! 



The only notes I have ever heard from the Barn Owl are a sudden 

 wild, startling scream, a high, rapidly repeated rr-r-ree, cr-r-rte, 

 cr-r-rre, and. in captive bird-, a hi>-ini; >ound : but Captain Bendire 

 mentions "a feeble, querulous note like i/inlrk-ifnilelc, or dtk-fak, 

 sounding somewhat like the call of the Nijrht Hawk (Chordeile* Vir- 

 ginian > d. only not so loud." 



"Of 29 stomachs examined, 1 contained poultry; J}/ other birds; 

 17, mice; 17, other mammals; 4, insects; and 7 were empty " (Fisher). 



FAMILY BUBONID^E. HORNED OWLS, HOOT OWLS, ETC. 



Owls are found in all parts of the world. Almut two hundred spe- 

 cie* are known, of which some twenty inhabit North America. With 

 few exception- Owls are woodland birds, but some species lire in 

 grassy marshes or dry plains, while others make their home in 

 steeples, or outbuildings. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey, and for 



