300 POULTRY AND WILD BIRDS 
no ear-tufts. Females more heavily barred than the males. Breeds in 
Arctic regions and comes to enjoy our winter climate when we think we 
must go to Florida. Frequent W.V. 
378 Burrowing Owl. Length 9-11 inches. 
A prairie owl living in deserted burrows of badgers, foxes, and gophers, 
and nesting there. Easily identified by this habit. Has very long un- 
feathered legs, short tail, and no “‘ horns.” Mostly brown above, and 
GREAT HoRNED OWL Snowy OwL BuRROWING OWL 
buffy and gray below. Feeds on gophers, mice, insects, small birds, etc. 
Common in the Dakotas and westward, but does not occur east of west- 
ern Minnesota. ‘P.R. and S.R. 
366 American Long-eared Owl. P.R. 372 Saw-whet Owl. P.R. 
370 Great Gray Owl. W.V. 375 a Western Horned Owl. P.R. 
371 Richardson Owl. W.V. 375 6 Arctic Horned Owl. W.V. 
Cuckoo Family. — These are solitary birds inhabitating wooded areas, 
and are much oftener heard than seen. If you come upon them they 
glide silently by and disappear in the depth of a neighboring bush or tree. 
Their strange notes, the origin of their name, may be heard a long dis- 
tance and are usually written cow, cow, cow, cow, cow, cow, or tut-tut, tut- 
tut, tut-tut, tut-tut, tut-tut. This lingo is supposed to prove that they 
are running the weather bureau and so they are often called “ rain crows.” 
They are long, slim, dove-like in form; have a long tail and a long, slen- 
der, distinctly curved bill; upper parts grayish brown with a greenish 
