BIRDS OF INDIANA. Slf> 



wilsonianus), which is termed "Little Long-eared Owl." This Owl is 

 nocturnal in its habits. Occasionally it is seen abroad on a cloudy 

 day. Then it becomes the target for the attacks of Crows, Kingbirds 

 and other birds. The excited cawing of a lot of Crows on such a day 

 often indicates that an Owl is abroad. 



Mr. F. M. Chapman says: "Its usual call is a loud, deep-toned 

 Whoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, whooo, whooo. The syllables are all on the same 

 note, and bear some resemblance to a bass-voiced dog barking in the 

 distance. A much rarer call is a loud, piercing scream, one of the 

 most blood-curdling sounds I have ever heard in the woods." (Birds 

 E. N. A., p. 220.) 



Mating begins in January and continues through the next month. 

 They lay their eggs in the nests of Hawks and Crows and in -hollow 

 trees. Prof. A. J. Cook records one instance of the Great Horned 

 Owl and Bed-tailed Hawk occupying the same nest at different times. 

 This had been kept up for years, the former using it in February, the 

 latter in April (Birds of Mich., p. 83). They usually lay their eggs in 

 February, sometimes by the first of the month. Major Bendire thinks 

 about three days elapse between the laying of each egg, and that 

 about 28 days is the incubation period. The female, he thinks, per- 

 forms that duty. Mr. H. W. McBride has raised several, and says he 

 finds it impossible to tame them. He took young Owls, March 14, 

 1890. Mr. Chas. Barber found a nest near Laporte, March 11, 1892. 

 March 26 he first examined it; then it contained two young, covered 

 with white down. Before the young was piled parts of two rabbits, 

 two rats and two mice; all quite fresh. The Crows had. been con- 

 stantly and persistently bothering the old ones. April 9, one died; 

 April 11, the white downy covering nearly all had disappeared. Bill, 

 cere, and toenails, black; wing-quills, 2J inches long, with tuft of 

 feathers at end; feathers, variegated, yellow and black. From the first, 

 seemed afraid of him. Occasionally pairs may be found breeding most 

 any time in summer as late as October. Mr. F, M. Noe had a half- 

 grown Owl brought to him at Indianapolis, December 1, 1891. 



This large Owl destroys more poultry and game than any other of 

 our Owls. This may be largely due to the fact that individuals seem 

 to have a great preference for this kind of food and become unusually 

 destructive. Mr. E. J. Chansler informs me that he lost 59 young 

 Guineas one fall by them. To balance this, sometimes they seem de- 

 termined to live upon rats. Mr. Chas. Dury records that the remains 

 of 113 Norway rats, most of them with the heads split open and the 

 'brains removed, were found in and about a nest of these Owls, wlnYh 



