The Spotted Owl 



No. 213 



Spotted Owl 



A. 0. U. No. 369. Strix occidentalis (Xantus). 



Synonyms. — Western Barred Owl. Xantus's Owl. Hoot Owl. Wood 

 Owl. 



Description. — Adults: Above warm brown, spotted with white and varied, 

 slightly, by ochraceous, the spots rounded on head and back, broader on cervix and 

 wings; the quills and tail irregularly spotted, or broken-barred, with dull ochraceous 

 or pale brown, irregularly changing to white; sides of breast much like back, the remain- 

 ing underparts dull ochraceous boldly spotted on middle of breast and on belly and sides 

 with white, and irregularly marked, or herring-bone-barred, with warm brown; the 

 flanks, legs (including tarsi), and wing-linings with very little white, mottled or faintly 

 barred brownish and ochraceous instead; feathers about base of bill chiefly white with 

 brownish black shafts; facial disc behind and above eye dark ochraceous, faintly 

 concentric-barred with dark brown; the rim of disc darker brown (nearly bister) on 

 inner aspect, finely mingled brown, ochraceous and white on outer aspect (thus curiously 

 epitomizing the whole color scheme). Bill bluish dusky basally, changing to yellow 

 on tip; claws light brown. Nestlings: Chiefly pale brownish buffy, broadly barred 

 except on head and legs with light brown. Length of male about 466.09 (18.35); wing 

 320 (12.60) ; tail 215 (8.47) ; bill from cere 21.3 (.84) ; tarsus 59 (2.32). Females average 

 larger; length up to 482.60 (19.00). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size; rounded appearance of head; strikingly white- 

 spotted; smaller and without "horns," as distinguished from Pacific Horned Owl. 



Nesting. — Nest: Usually an old Raven's nest, lodged in cranny of cliff; in 

 default of such bird probably uses unlined cranny, much after the fashion of Bubo 

 virginianus. Eggs: 2 or 3; subspherical, white. Av. size 47.75 x 40.6 (1.88 x 1.60) 

 (Peyton). Season: March-April; one brood. 



General Range. — Western North America from northern Mexico and northern 

 Lower California north along the coast to British Columbia, and in the mountains to 

 southern Colorado. 



Distribution in California. — Not common resident in Upper Sonoran and 

 Lower Transition zones west of the Sierran divide. Most common in San Diegan 

 district. 



Authorities. — Baird (Syrnium nebidosum), Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., vol. ix., 1858, 

 p. 921 (Ft. Tejon); Xantus, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. xi., 1859, pp. 190, 193 

 (orig. desc; type locality, Ft. Tejon); Swarth, Univ. Calif. Pub. Zool., vol. vii., 1910, 

 p. 3 (desc. juvenal; crit.); ibid., Condor, vol. xvi., 1915, p. 15 (desc, meas., crit.); 

 Dickey, Condor, vol. xvi., 1914, p. 193, figs, (desc, photos, etc.; Ventura Co.); Ober- 

 holser, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 49, 1915, p. 251 (syst.; monogr.). 



EVEN the sight of a Spotted Owl is counted a bit of a rarity in 

 these parts; and specimens taken are still dutifully reported in the col- 

 umns of the "Condor," or elsewhere. Yet when the great day comes, 

 the bird of mystery is likely to prove as obliging as a well-bred hen — 

 or shall we say as a sleepy rooster? It may be his favorite roost that we 



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