BIRDS OF PREY 



.'i7 



ScKKiocii ()\vf>. Otim a.iio amo. 



• y'A 



A"\ liltP 



'"V 



Range. — North America, east of tlie plains 

 and from tlie soutliern British Provinces to 

 Florida. 



This well known 

 species, wliich is of- ,.,.;-' ' . , "x 



ten called "Little ,/" - .. ' , 



Horned Owl" be- jf'v ■ . ' 



cause of its ear tufts 



is found either in the , .< 



type form of some of \^ • - ; 



its varieties in all * 

 parts of the United 

 States. They have 

 two color phases, the 

 plumage being either 

 a yellowisli brown or 



gray, and black and white; these color phases 

 are not dependent upon sex or locality, as often 

 young or both phases are found in the same 

 tiest; the gray phase is the most abundant. 

 They nest anywhere in hollow trees, being 

 found very frequently in decayed stubs of apple trees. They also often nest in 

 barns or other old buildings which are not frequented too freely. Their food 

 consists chiefly of mice and meadow moles, with occasionally small birds. 

 During April or May they lay their white eggs, the full complement of which 

 is from five to eight. Size 1..35 x 1.20. The nesting habits of all the sub-species, 

 as far as we can learn, are exactly like those of the eastern Screech Owl; the 

 eggs cannot be distinguished, and in most cases, even the birds cannot be dis- 

 tinguished. 



37.3a. Florida Screech Owl. Otus axio floridanus. 



Range. — Soutli Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



Slightly smaller and darker than nsin. The eggs average slightly smaller. 

 Size 1.30 X 1.15. 



.37.3b. Texa.s Screech Owl. Otii.f anio iiiccaUi. 



Range. — Texas, and southward into Mexico. Very similar to fIni-idiiiniK. 



.373c. California Screech Owl. Otii.s asio hendirei. 



Range. — Coast of California and Oregon. Size of, but darker than asio. 



37Sd. Kennicott's Screech Owl. Otus asio kennicotti. 



Range. — Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska. This is tlie darkest of the 

 Screech Owls and averages a trifle larger than the eastern form. 



373r.. Rocky Mountain Screech Owl. Oliix asio iiKi^cwellite, 



Range. — Foothills of the Rockies, from Colorado to Montana. This is tlie 

 palest form of the Screech Owl. Of the same size as the last. 



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