Michigan Ornithological Club 45 



BUBO VIRGINIANUS IN MICHIGAN. 



EDWARD ARNOLD. 



The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is quite common throughout 

 the state at all seasons. My observations cover principally Calhoun and 

 Kalamazoo Counties where the bird is very common. The female is larger 

 than the male, more powerful and according to my observations much more 

 vicious in the defence of its home and young. 



This species is partial to river bottom land and prefers to nest close to 

 running streams or water. Although hollow trees are fairly abundant where 

 I hunted, the bird prefers to nest outside and lays its eggs in old nests of 

 red-shouldered and red-tailed hawks, sometimes taking possession of f crows 

 nests. Have found nests with but one egg badly incubated, once with one 

 egg only addled. Two eggs are the usual set and twice I have found nests 

 with three young. 



A sharp rap on the tree trunk will usually scare the parent off the eggs or 

 young and unless the eggs are almost hatched or the young just out of the 

 shell the parents keep a respectable distance away. Twice I have been struck 

 on the back by the enraged female, each time the nest contained young just 

 hatched. The birds observed by me usually commence laying the latter part 

 of February. 



This bird is known by hunters and farmers as the cat and hoot owd, and 

 is the most distructive and powerful of its family in North America. Tt 

 destroys poultry, rabbits, ducks (wild and domestic) crows, skunks, rats, 

 mice, moles, flickers, red-headed woodpeckers, bob-whites, grouse, woodcock, 

 squirrels, etc., in fact, it is king of the woods and takes its tribute night and 

 day. In hunting for its nest I have often been guarded to the vicinity by 

 the noise of a flock of crows chasing it. It takes tribute of the crow at night 

 and that bird recognizes it as its enemy and pursues it whenever it makes its 

 appearance in the day time. I have seen as many as forty crows following 

 it in the woods from tree to tree. 



When the nest contains young it is usually well stocked with various 

 parts of birds and beasts, usually the hind quarters, generally the head is eaten 

 first. One nest I found with young early in April, 1902, had the wing of a 

 crow, the back of a white buck, several hind quarters of rats and mice, and 

 the hind part of a rabbit — -several pounds in all. From my journal I take the 

 following notes : 



These birds are constant residents where ever found, and if the woods is 

 tolerably large can usually be found in some tree the year around close to the 

 nesting tree — the male usually occupies a hollow tree during the day is un- 

 sociable, and two pairs rarely occupy the same woods. Both birds are rather 

 noisy during January, February and March, the nesting period. 



I have shot horned owls the year around, and have never found one in 

 poor condition, which is proof that it is able to procure abundance of food at 

 all times. Incubation lasts about four weeks, and both birds sit on the eggs, 

 the female the greater portion of the time. On March 2nd, 1895, ni company 

 with Mr. Gorwin, of Vicksburg, T found a nest in a tamarack tree near Barton 

 Lake, about three miles southwest of Vicksburg, Kalamazoo County. The 

 nest was a large one placed about fift^v feet up. The female left nest as I 

 struck the tree with my spurs. Set consisted of two eggs incubated about 



