KEY TO BIRDS IN THE FIELD 369 



E. With square tails ; * size generally larger than the crow 



Gulls, pp. 329-333. 



E. With forked tails,^ and usually not larger than the crows 



Terns, pp. 323-327. 



Key to the Owls 



The numbers refer to the pages where the birds are described. 



* Owls with conspicuous ear tufts '' and yellow eyes. (F.) 



* Owls without ear tufts,ii and black or yellow eyes. (A.) 



A. Large, 12 inches or more long. (C.) 



A. Small, less than 12 inches long; back spotted with white. (B.) 

 B. Ground-burrowing, day owls, of the south and west, with very long 



legs, nearly naked of feathers The Burrowing Owls, pp. 190, 191. 



B. Short^legged owl, less than 9 inches long, with the head streaked, 



and the back spotted with white Saw-whet Owl, p. 187. 



B. A northern, winter, shorHegged owl, nearly a foot long, with both 



head and back spotted with white Richardson's Owl, p. 187. 



C. Eyes black or nearly so. (E.) 

 C. Eyes distinctly yellow. (D.) 



D. A very large, winter owl, with nearly white plumage 



Snowy Owl, p. 189. 



D. A very large, grayish-mottled owl, with the white lower parts broadly 

 streaked on the breast, and irregularly barred with blackish on the 



belly and sides Great Gray Owl, p. 186. 



D. A medium-sized, day-flying, long-tailed, somewhat hawk-like owl, 

 with the back dark, sooty-brown, and the head and neck much 



spotted with white American Hawk Owl, p. 190. 



D. A medium-sized, dull orange to buffy owl, with darker streaks. This 



owl has short, and usually unnoticed, ear tufts 



Short-eared Owl, p. 185. 



E. Large owl, with curious, heart-shaped, monkey-like face.'^ Tliis is 



a spotted and speckled light-colored bird Barn Owl, p. 192. 



E. A large, grayish-brown, hooting owl, with the back and breast 



much barred, and the belly and sides streaked. .Barred Owl, p. 186. 



F. A common, small, brownish-gray or reddish owl, less than 12 inches 



long Screech Owl, p. 188. 



F. Owls over 12 inches long. (G.) 



G. A very large, heavy owl, with ear tufts i" two inches long, and dark, 



mottled back ; the belly is rusty buff, barred with black 



Great Horned Owl, p. 188. 



apgar's birds. — 24 



