Jan., 1908 NESTING OF THE WESTERN HORNED OWIv IN COLORADO 17 



where it will no doubt form part of an environmental group at no greatly distant 

 date. 



During all the time we were photographing and removing the nest we did not 

 catch sight of either of the parent birds, in fact we did not see the male bird at all 

 on our second trip to the nest. 



Spurred on by our success we made a trip to another spot fully ten miles from 

 where the nest was found, where Horned Owls had been reported; but altho both 

 birds were flushed, an exhaustive search on this and a later day failed to reveal a 

 nest. These birds while living in this particular locality thruout the year were 

 apparently not nesting. 



From the above statements it might be inferred that the Western Horned Owl 

 is a rare bird in Colorado. Such however is hardly the case; in fact, in certain 

 isolated localities it is reasonable to assume that it is fairly common. It is true 

 that the omnipresent "small boy with a gun" has practically exterminated the 

 species in the immediate vicinity of Denver, but along many of the creeks on the 

 plains east of Denver which afford sufficient food and cover the Horned Owls are of 

 regular and rather frequent occurrence. Thruout the mountainous western 

 portion of the state the birds occur regularly but I have never seen them in any 

 numbers. Whether this is due to lack of observation or to an abundance of cover 

 and a real scarcity in numbers I am unable to state. At any rate I do not think 

 the birds are as common anywhere in the state as thej^ are along the well wooded 

 prairie streams. 



As is the case with the typical form of the Horned Owl, the western form 

 chooses various nesting sites. Cavities in large trees and in sandstone ledges, 

 deserted hawk's nests and even nests on the ground have been reported, but prob- 

 ably owing to their great abundance and the natural advantages they offer, deserted 

 nests of the magpie are more commonly resorted to than any other site. 



The very early date at which nidification takes place and the quiet and in- 

 conspicuous habits of the birds during the nesting season probably accounts for the 

 scarcity of eggs of this subspecies in collections, and these reasons are also prob- 

 ably responsible for the way in which these birds withstand constant persecution, 

 not only from hunters but from ranchmen as well, for every farmer seems to feel it 

 a solemn duty to do his share toward exterminating the entire owl family. 



It has been said and possibly it is true that the Horned Owl is the most de- 

 structive of North American birds, but even if this be true, it is certainly a fact 

 that what damage the comparatively few individuals of the species, to be found in 

 any given locality, really do is not sufficient to brand them as a natural menace, 

 and the amount of good they do in destroying small rodents should certainly be a 

 strong point in their favor. 



But when all other arguments for a sweeping bird protection fail to convince, 

 we can always fall back on the fundamental fact that Nature knows. how to conduct 

 her affairs very well and if those who are over-anxious to exterminate any creature 

 regarding whose economic usefulness there is a question would rest from their 

 labors of carnage and let the natural laws take their course, the ultimate results 

 would probably be fully as satisfactory. The natural order of things was normal 

 when we came and will be normal after we are gone. Why not let a wise Nature 

 of which man is but an insignificant part rule without our interference? 



Denver, Colorado. 



