The Great Horned Owl 



By F. N. ■WHITMAN. Chicago, 111. 



With photographs by the Author 



A FEW pieces of down and some feathers on the side of a hill first drew 

 my attention, and when a short search presently revealed more feathers 

 caught in the ragged edges of an old broken-off oak tree, my expecta- 

 tions quickly mounted. I immediately aimed a few handy sticks at the tree- 

 top and, at the second throw, with startling suddenness, the huge form and 

 spreading wings of a Great Horned Owl emerged. Poising a moment threat- 

 eningly, it then swerved up and away, disappearing in the woods. 



Thrilling at the discovery of the old Owl's nest, I accomplished the 25- 

 foot climb in feverish haste, a final swing landing me in a crotch, looking down 

 into the hollow top of the tree. From the 20-inch cavity below, two young 

 Owls, fluffy white balls about twelve days old, gazed back in startled amaze- 

 ment. They had plainly been well fed, for in a circle around them were strewn 

 the remains of five birds, a ground squirrel and a rabbit, the birds including, 

 a Robin, two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and two Flickers. Surely here was 

 food sufficient at one time even for hungry young Owls. On my numerous 

 visits to the nest during the three following weeks, there was always a surprise 

 in the variety of new prey these ravenous birds had brought home. Song-birds, 

 Rails, Herons, rodents, and the like, were found, usually with the heads eaten 

 off, as the Owls seemed generally to start with the front end. One Long-eared 

 Owl was also found, testimony of cannibalistic habits. 



Covered with white down, with head, beak, and talons much out of pro- 

 portion to the body, and their eyes closed, newly hatched Owls are grotesque 

 objects. They are fed at short intervals with small bits from the prey at hand, 

 including feathers, entrails and all, and on this diet grow rapidly, attaining 

 at the age of four weeks almost adult size, although not yet fully feathered. 

 They are soon encouraged to help themselves from the food available, and 

 their legs, at first very weak, in a short time gain strength enough to support 

 them. 



While one of the parents is attending to household duties the other is forag- 

 ing for more food. In the dead of night, noiselessly, like a ghost, it sweeps along 

 through the trees. It may be mentioned, that, because of their very soft 

 feathers. Owls make not a sound in flight, and so can approach their prey with- 

 out causing alarm; and when the present pair of birds later ferociously attacked 

 me, I had not the slightest warning until they struck me like a discharge 

 from a catapult. With a wing-spread of between four and five feet, large and 

 powerful, dauntless in courage, they prove dangerous antagonists for the 

 intruder who meddles in their home affairs, as will presently be seen. 



During the time that I spent up in the tree photographing the young, the 

 old birds hooted their chagrin and anger from nearby. Growing bolder, they 



(18) 



