The American Barn Owl 



himself aloft and voice his uttermost passion to the stars. Both of these 

 performances are likely to occur in perfection immediately after the Owl 

 has left the cramped quarters of his diurnal retreat, and he sees the tooth- 

 some field mice stretched out before him in unending vistas. These 

 characterizations, I dare say, are partly local, and they may differ en- 

 tirely from experiences in the East or in the Old World. I am very sure, 

 for example, that the cries of birds heard in the summer of 1918 in 

 northern Nevada were lighter, sharper, and clearer in quality than those 

 to be heard in southern California. The Nevada birds, moreover, have 

 a much more considerable repertory. 



The Barn Owl is the most strictly nocturnal of all owls; that is to say, 

 it "rises" later, and "sets" earlier, usually a good half hour before sunrise. 

 It occupies by day, also, the darkest of available retreats; but the birds 

 are so abundant and so well distributed that they must avail themselves 

 of a great variety of hiding places. Buildings are in good demand, barns, 

 attics, vine-covered porches, tank-houses, towers and belfries. Niches 

 and tiny grottoes in the cliffs are sure of attracting Barn Owls, no matter 



. Taken in San Bernardino County 



Photo by Pierce 



WHA" Z'ASH YOU SAY? 



EVEN BABY OWLS SOMETIMES IMBIBE TOO MUCH MOON- 

 SHINE 



1074 



