FAM. XXVII. HORNED OWLS, ETC. 



189 



kills poultry and game birds in any- 

 great numbers, though even this one 

 is more apt to feed on the smaller 

 mammals. It can scream in a most 

 terrifying manner as well as wlwb- 

 ivhoooo. (Hoot Owl ; Cat Owl.) 



Length, 18-25 ; wing, 15} (145-17) ; tail, 

 8| ; tarsus, 2} ; culmen, H. Nortli America 

 from tlie Mississippi Valley eastward, north 

 to Labrador and south to Central America. 

 The Western Horned Owl (375''. B. v. sub- 

 drcticus), of the western United States from 

 the Great Plains westward (and east casually 

 to Illinois), is lighter in color, having the buff 

 markings changed to gray or white. The 

 Arctic Horned Owl (375''. B. v. drcticus), 

 of arctic America south to South Dakota, 

 Wyoming, and Idaho, has much whiter 

 plumage, the under parts being pure white 

 with very restricted dark markings. 



fireat Horned Owl 



9. Snowy Owl (376. Nyctea nyctea). — A very large, mottled, 



white owl, with densely feathered 

 feet and no ear tufts. The female 

 is more heavily barred. It is a day- 

 flying, yellow-eyed owl, found in 

 the United States only in winter. 

 Though a day-flying owl, it is more 

 active in the early morning and 

 evening. In the United States it 

 is more apt to be found in marshy 

 flats bordering bays and rivers, and 

 along the seashore. 



Length, 20-27 ; wing, 17 (IS^-lSf) ; 

 tail, 9; ; tarsus, 2 ; culmen, V. Arctic 

 regions of the northern hemisphere; 

 breeding north of the United States, 

 migrating in winter to the Middle States 

 and straggling to South Carolina and 

 Snowy Owl l^exas. 



