BIRDS OF PREY 169 



twice, and then shakes its head violently sidewise till the 

 pellet is dislodged from its throat. 



During the nesting season the male bird is exceedingly 

 devoted to his mate, frequently occupying the nest with 

 her or sitting on a branch of the same tree in close prox- 

 imity. The incubation requires three weeks ; the young 

 stay in the nest about five weeks and afterwards hide in 

 the trees, not catching their own food until eight or nine 

 weeks old. 



Major Bendire describes the nest of a pair of these 

 owls less than two feet above an excavation occupied by 

 a family of flickers. The owls were late in nesting, it 

 being a second or third brood, and the families were 

 reared at the same time, neither apparently paying any 

 attention to the other. As the young of these owls keep 

 up a constant calling for food all night long, this brood 

 doubtless disturbed the slumbers of the young flickers. 

 Their note is a low, not unmusical, whistling call, but 

 during the breeding season they hoot like screech owls. 



367. SHORT-EARED OWL. — Asioflammem. 

 Family : The Horned Owls and Hoot Owls. 



Length: 15.50. 



Adults: Ear-tufts conspicuous ; a blackening around the eye, and con- 

 spicuous white eyebrow ; plumage tawny to buff, heavily streaked 

 with dark brown ; wings and tail broadly and irregularly burred with 

 dark brown and tawny. 



Young : Above dark brown ; under parts grayish huffy ; face brownish 

 black. 



Oeographical Distribution : Western hemisphere ; common winter visit- 

 ant in California, some remaining through the summer. 



Breeding Range: In California, breeds sparingly on certain coast 

 marshes. 



