298 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
HH. Under parts heavily barred, but no streaks. Hawk 
Owl. No. 160. 
BBB. Small owls, wing less than 8 inches. J, II. 
I. With prominent ear-tufts. Screech Owl. No. 156. 
II. Without ear-tufts. J, JJ. 
J. Wing less than 6 inches. Acadian Owl. No. 155. 
JJ. Wing more than 64 inches. Richardson’s Owl. ~ No. 154. 
7 
Family 40. ALUCONIDA Barn Owls. 
Only a single species in Michigan. 
149. Barn Owl. Aluco pratincola (Bonap.). (365) 
Synonyms: American Barn Owl, Monkey-faced Owl, Monkey Owl, White Owl.— 
Strix pratincola, Bonap., 1838.—Strix flammea, Max., 1820, Wils., Aud., Nutt.—Strix 
flammea var. americana, Coues, 1872.—Strix flammea, var. pratincola, B. B. & R., 1875. 
Figures 77 and 78. 
Imown ata glance by the light creamy-yellow color, monkey-like “face” 
(Pig. 78), and absence of ear-tufts. The long, nearly bare shanks and 
pectinate middle claw are also distinctive. 
Distribution.— United States, rarely to the northern border and Ontario, 
southward through Mexico; northern limit of breeding range about 41 
degrees. [In Michigan at least 44°.] i ‘ 
This remarkable owl is a southern bird which finds its northern limit of 
abundance near our southern boundary but probably nests within the state 
regularly, if somewhat sparingly. 
It would seem that within the last 
two decades the species has become 
much more common in Ohio and 
northern Indiana, and it is prob- 
able that most of the specimens 
taken in Michigan have been reared 
in the state. Formerly it was 
considered an extremely rare Mich- 
igan bird, but we now have between 
20 and 30 records for the state, 
and doubtless many have been 
killed and not recorded. Most of 
ERS NAN cavalo am a Reuo Te 
half of the state, but there are at, 
least two records for the neighbor- 
hood of Saginaw, and according 
to Mellwraith (Birds of Ontario, : : 
p. 223), two individuals were re- wii? ; 
ported as seen near Sault Ste. Marie wi 
(Lat. 46° 30’) by C. J. Bampton. 
An interesting breeding record Fig. 77. Barn Owl. Adult. 
is furnished by Mrs. Gene Stratton- From mounted specimen. (Original.) 
Porter, of Geneva, Ind., who found a nest with young in a hollow tree 
