66 YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE. [Vol. I. 



SPECIAL NOTES AND NEWS 



NOTES ON THE DIET OF THE 

 LONG-EARED OWL 



By H. L. Stoddard" 



The Long-eared Owl, Asio zvilsouianus (Less.), was selected for the 

 first of a series of Economic Bird Exhibits because it is without ques- 

 tion one of the most beneficial birds from the standpoint of the farmer, 

 and also because its beneficial nature is seldom recognized. Although 

 protected by law in Wisconsin, it is usually shot on sight, until now it is 

 becoming rare over large areas where it was formerly abundant. 



Perhaps no other of our birds lends itself quite so readily to an ex- 

 hibit of this nature. This is due to the fact that the Long-eared Owl 

 habitually occupys the same roost day after day where undisturbed. 

 The cast-up pellets of fur, bones and other indigestible matter that 

 accumulate on the ground beneath, contain a complete record of the 

 creatures consumed. 



The material for the exhibit recently installed in a wall case in the 

 bird hall of the Museum, was collected by the writer during the win- 

 ter of 1921, in two small tamarack swamps near Calhoun, Waukesha 

 county, twelve miles west of Milwaukee. The pellets examined were 

 picked up under trees that were being used as roosting places by the 

 owls at the time. The first lot, gathered January twenty-third, had prob- 

 ably been accumulating since late Fall, as they were partly covered by 

 falling tamarack needles. The last ones were collected March twentieth. 



An interesting part of the record is that of one individual owl that 

 was in the habit of spending the daylight hours on the same limb of a 

 certain tree, as is shown in figure 37. By cleaning the ground thor- 

 oughly on one visit, then gathering the accumulated pellets fourteen 

 days later, a definite record was obtained of creatures eaten within the 

 period. Unfortunately there is a possibility that pellets were dropped 

 by this same owl from other perches during these two weeks, as wood 

 was being chopped in the vicinity, and the bird may not have occupied 

 this one perch throughout the full fortnight. The remainder of the 

 pellets used in the study were gathered under the roosting places of sev- 

 eral different Long-eared Owls. A large number were found at the base 

 of a small tamarack in which four of the Owls were roosting. 



"First Assistant Taxidermist, Milwaukee Public Museum, 



