378 THE BARRED OWL. 



No. 165. 



BARRED OWL. 



A. O. U. No. 368. Syrnium varium (Barton). 



Synonym. — HooT Owl, (sharing the name with Bubo vir ginianus) . 



Description. — Adult : No ear-tufts ; above dark umber-brown, heavily 

 barred with pale tawny or white, — each feather crossed subterminally by a light 

 band, and having one or two more on concealed base ; wing-quills and tail-feathers 

 more broadly barred, the white spots on external webs of the former more or less 

 confluent in bars reaching across the wing; below, on the breast, heavily barred 

 with a paler brown and white, the latter predominating ; the belly and sides whitish 

 or fulvous, not barred, but sharply and sparingly streaked with brown ; facial disk 

 gray, with indistinct, dusky, concentric circles about each eye, the eyes bordered by 

 black on the inner margin ; a dark brown area on the forehead ; bill yellow ; iris 

 yellow or brown. Immature: Like adult, but barred instead of streaked on the 

 belly; bars on upper parts broader, and appearing more white-spotted. Length 

 18. 50-24.00 (469.9-609.6) ; wing 13.00-14.00 (330.2-355.6) ; tail 9.00 (228.6) ; 

 tarsus about 2.50 (63.5) ; bill 1.40 (35.6). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow to Brant size; general barred appearance; the 

 absence of "horns" will immediately distinguish it from the Horned Owl, with 

 which it is comparable in size. 



Nest, a deserted Hawk's or Crow's nest, or in a hollow tree. Eggs, 2-4, 

 white, subspherical. Av. size, 1.96 x 1.66 (49.8 x 42.2). 



General Range.— Eastern United States west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kan- 

 sas, and Texas, north to Nova Scotia and Quebec. Breeds throughout its range. 



Range in Ohio. — Common resident; the most universally distributed Owl 

 except Megascops asio. 



AFTER the Screech Owl this large round-headed bird is the commonest 

 of the Owl kind in the state. Altho necessarily somewhat reduced in num- 

 bers with the decline in timber area, the species is well distributed ; and almost 

 any considerable stretch of woods, or a deep rocky ravine, will boast a pair 

 of "Hoot Owls." The birds hunt mainly by night, but often avail themselves 

 of cloudy days, and do not appear so nearly dazed as some in broad daylight. 

 It is not unusual for the early bird-man to see the Owl coming in from the 

 meadows just before sunrise, and making rapidly for the woods with that 

 •smoothly alternating flap and sail, which is characteristic of the bird. 



The nightly predatory expeditions are directed mainly against moles, 

 gophers, and rabbits ; but many insects are added on the one hand and birds 

 not a few on the other. The proportion of poultry or game birds eaten is 

 very small, and never equal in value to the vermin riddance accomplished; 

 but this is matter of opportunity rather than conscience with the Owl. In a 

 series of ninety-five stomachs examined by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, only three 

 contained poultry but twelve others contained birds, among which were found 

 two Screech Owls, and one Saw-whet Owl. 



