!?<• Iowa Ornithologist. 



(JS)-Jhthi> virginiauHfi. GREAT HORNED OWL. 



Of the Owls commonly found in Iowa, the Gt. Horned alone seems to stand 

 guilty and convicted of a long list of crimes, wliich make the bird harmful 

 rather than beneficial. Is the largest and most powerful Owl in America, is 

 common in Iowa and a resident throughout the year. It is not only genei-ally 

 conceded to be the most destructive of all our Raptores, but is said by some to 

 commit more damage than all other species together. It is a frequent visitor to 

 the poiiltry yard, where it kills numbers of chickens, turkeys, pigeons, ducks, 

 geese, and Guinea fowls, even entering the coops after these at times, as many 

 a farmer can testify. Bubo also plays sad havoc among the game birds, being 

 the most dreaded enemy of the Grouse, Bobwhites, Prairie Hens and others. 

 But one of the worst features of the bird's disposition is that it is wanton, kill- 

 ing many more victims than it needs for food, and often simply eating the 

 heads of its prey if it can obtain these in sufficient number. Among mammals 

 which are killed by the Gt. Horned Owl may be mentioned rabbits, squirrels, 

 skunks, muskrats and tlie smaller rodents. 



('J9)— Bilbo virginiamissuhariicns. WESTERN HORNED OWL. 



This is a lighter colored form of the preceding species, which is rare in 

 Iowa. In disposition it does not differ from the Gt. Horned Owl. 



{r}0)—A'ycfea nycieti. SNOWY OWL. 



The Snowy Owl reaches Iowa only in midwinter from the north and is 

 fairly common only. The good done by this bird in destroying noxious rodents 

 seems to be about coimterbalanced by the damage done to the game and water 

 birds. 



In addition to the above species the American Goshawk and Richardson's 

 Merlin have been reported in Iowa. They must, however, be exceedingly rare 

 and for the present will be disregarded. 



A few conclusions from the above study may reasonably be drawn : 



First — Of the thirty species emimerated above, only eight, viz., the Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Duck Hawk, Pigeon 

 Hawk, Gt. Horned Owl and Western Horned Owl are more harmful than 

 beneficial. 



Second — Of the eight harmful species only two, viz., Cooper's Hawk and 

 Gt. Horned Owl are common enough to liave any appreciable effect on economic 

 interests. 



Third — No objection could be made if a price were set upon the heads of 

 the last two for practical purposes, and on the other six for the sake of con- 

 sistency. 



Fourth — The other twenty-two species should be recognized by law as ben- 

 eficial, or, better still, the farmer should look upon them as promoters of his 

 own interests, and protect them for his own sake. 



The question may be asked how are the two harmful species to be known 

 from the harndess and beneficial ones. Quite easily. Every farmer's boy 



