17 
157. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCREECH OWL. Otus 
asio quercinus. 
Common residents of wooded localities from seacoast to high 
mountains. Most common in the foothills. The food is mice, 
beetles and other insects. 
158. GREAT HORNED OWL. Bubo virginianus pacificus. 
Common residents of all parts of the county except the open 
mesas. This large owl has strength enough to kill and carry away 
a jack rabbit or a full grown hen. They are the only owls that 
destroy poultry. Those living in the eastern part of the county 
along the border of the desert are probably of the subspecies 
pallescens. 
159. BURROWING OWL. Speotyto cuncicularia hypogzea. 
Common residents in open ground from the seashore to the 
higher foothills. Live in burrows dug by themselves or enlarged 
from squirrel holes. Hunt principally at twilight. The food is 
grasshoppers, beetles, mice and gophers. 
160. CALIFORNIA PIGMY OWL. Glaucidium gnoma 
californicum. 
Rare residents of the mountains, occasionally found in the 
foothills. This little sparrow-sized owl feeds mainly on insects, 
but also catches some mice. 
Order COCCYGES, Cuckoos, Trogons, Kingfishers, etc. 
Family CUCULIDAS. Cuckoos. 
This family contains two distinet groups of birds, the Ground 
Cuckoos, and the true Cuckoos. The Ground Cuckoos are long 
of leg, weak of wing and catch their food on the ground. The 
Cuckoos are strong of flight, inhabit trees and shrubbery and 
catch their insect prey among the foliage. Both groups have the 
toes arranged alike, two in front and two behind. The Ground 
Cuckoos are mostly inhabitants of warm climates, one species 
coming north into the southwestern United States. 
161. ROAD-RUNNER. Geococcyx californianus. 
Common residents of valleys and foothills. The food is lizards, 
beetles, grasshoppers, snakes, mice and occasionally the eggs of 
other birds. They have been known to take young from the nests 
of other birds and eat them. They run rapidly and spend much 
of their time on the ground. 
162. CALIFORNIA CUCKOO. Coccyzus americanus 
occidentalis. 
Summer residents of willow thickets in the valleys. Apparent- 
ly not very common. As they are very shy they are not often 
seen. Their food is insects, including a large proportion of cater- 
pillars in season. 
Family ALCIDINIDA. Kingfishers. 
163. BELTED KINGFISHER. Ceryle alcyon. 
Rather common residents along the seacoast. As their food 
is fish the Belted Kingfishers are not often seen far from the coast 
