The American Barn Owl 



By WILLIAM BUTCHER 



President National Association of Audubon Societies 



DESCRIPTION 



, The upper parts are a yellowish buff overlaid with grayish, and more or less speckled 

 with white; underparts varying from pure white to ochraceous buff, dotted with black, 

 some individuals profusely and others with but few spots; wings and tail generally lightly 

 barred with blackish; legs long and feathered almost to base of toes; feet dark; very large, 

 white, heart-shaped facial disk, with narrow black and buff edging, this latter appearing 

 as if burnt or charred; maroon-colored spot between eye and bill, sometimes completely 

 surrounding the eye; bill yellow; eye black. The only other species of Owl with black 

 eyes is the Barred Owl, which is a much larger and darker bird heavily barred on head, 

 neck and breast. The two cannot be confused. 



Size. — Varies from 15 to 18 inches from end of bill to tip of tail; wings very long, 

 extending beyond tail when folded. 



Nest. — None is built; the eggs are laid in a variety of situations, such as hollows in 

 trees, holes in banks or cliffs, abandoned burrows, sides of wells, mining shafts, dovecots, 

 barns, church steeples, etc. 



Eggs. — Pure white, from four to seven in a set, sometimes more. 



Distribution. — The northern limit of the breeding range is about latitude 41 degrees 

 and extends westward to the Pacific coast. Occasionally a straggler may be found north 

 of this range in favorable localities. 



The Barn Owl, Golden Owl, Church Owl, or, as it is frequently called, 

 the Monkey -faced Owl, is almost cosmopolitan, being found in nearly all 

 temperate and tropical climes throughout the globe. 



"Alone and warming his five wits, 

 The white owl in the belfry sits." 



The Barn Owl should appeal to man because of two characteristics, — 

 first, its singular and almost weird beauty, and, second, its very great eco- 

 nomic value and almost total lack of harmful qualities. If it were a bird 

 that was more frequently seen its beautiful soft plumage of white and gold 

 would attract the lovers of color, but, being nocturnal in its habits, it is not 

 often observed; indeed, even where it is common, when one is shot its 

 strange appearance leads the local newspaper to publish a ridiculous account 

 of a new and grotesque animal, part monkey and part Owl. Like all other 

 Owls, it still bears the weight of the superstitions of over two thousand 

 years; consequently the hand of man is yet against it. Shortly after sun- 

 down this "pretty aerial wanderer of the night" commences flitting to and 

 fro "on wing so soft and silent" that it is scarcely heard. During all its 

 nightly wanderings it is working for mankind, its only enemy, while gather- 

 ing food for itself and perhaps a hungry brood of callow young. Then it is 

 that its peculiar screaming cry is heard, which no doubt is the basis of many 

 of the strange and uncanny stories related of Owls. In Europe this species 



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