FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL. 199 



FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL. 



Qlaucidiutn phalsnoides. 



The Ferruginous Pygmy Owl inhabits the whole of tropical America, 

 except the West Indies, ranging north to southern Texas and Arizona. 

 This beautiful little Owl was added to our fauna in 1872, by Oapt. Ben- 

 dire, who captured several specimens in the dense mesquit thickets 

 bordering Eillito Creek, in the vicinity of Tucson, Ariz. As the first 

 specimen was taken January 24, it is evidently a resident wherever 

 found.* 



Very little has been written on the subject of the food of this species, 

 but undoubtedly it is of much the same quality as that of other mem- 

 bers of the genus. A specimen captured by Dr. E. A. Mearns at Casa 

 Grande, Ariz., May 10, 1885, contained the remains of a lizard. In 

 South America it is reported as sometimes feeding on young chickens. 



Little is known of its nesting habits, but they are undoubtedly sim- 

 ilar to those of the Pygmy Owl. Mr. George B. Sennett gives the iirst 

 description of the eggs in the Auk (vol. vi, 1889, p. 70). The nest was 

 in a hollow tree and contained but a single egg, which was very close 

 to the size of that of the elf owl. In 1872 Captain Bendire found two 

 fledglings in a hollow mesquit tree in southern Arizona, which at the 

 time were thought to beyoungBlf Owls, but at present he is inclined to 

 refer them to this species, as the first-mentioned Owl almost univer- 

 sally breeds in the hollows of the giant cactus. 



Like the other Pygmy Owls,this species is diurnal in its habits, flying 

 about and capturing its prey in the bright sunlight. 



"His note was a loud cuch repeated several times as rapidly as twice 

 each second. At each utterance the bird jerked his tail and threw 

 back his head. Occasionally a low chuck, audible for only a short dis- 

 tance, replaced the usual call." — (F. Stephens in Bull. Nutt. Ornith. 

 Club, vol. VIII, 1883, p. 27.) 



DESCEIPTION. 



Similar to the Pygmy Owl in size and general character. Sides of 

 breast brown or rufous, without traces of lighter markings; tail bands 

 varying from white to rufous, the interspaces varying from grayish to 

 blackish ; top of head narrowly streaked with whitish or pale rusty. 



Length: 6.50 to 7 inches (165 to 178"i'"); extent, 14.50 to 15.50 inches 

 (368 to 393""") ; wing, 3.50 to 4.60 inches (89 to 116™™ j ; tail, 2.20 to 3.50 - 

 inches (55 to 89"'°). 



"The ■writer found this species quite common at New River, tbirty-five miles 

 NNW. of Phoenix, Ariz., in June, 1892. Two specimens were secured and several 

 others observed among the mesquit and other thick shrubbery scattered through 

 the groves of giant cactus. 



