THE AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 



{Surnia ulula caparoch.) 



The typical form of this owl (Surnia 

 ulula) is a native of Scandinavia and 

 Northern Russia, and incidentally is a 

 visitor to Western Alaska. We are told 

 by Mr. L. M. Turner, who was stationed 

 by the United States Signal Service in 

 Alaska from 1874 to 1881, that the na- 

 tives assert that this form is "a resident, 

 and breeds in the vicinity of St. Michaels ; 

 also that it is a coast bird, i. e., not going 

 far into the interior, and that it can live 

 a long time in winter without food, as it 

 remains for days in the protection of the 

 holes about the tangled roots of the wil- 

 low and alder patches." Its true breed- 

 ing range, however, is the northern por- 

 tion of the Eastern hemisphere. It is 

 somewhat larger and lighter in color than 

 the American Hawk Owl. 



The bird of our illustration, the Ameri- 

 can Hawk Owl, is simplv a g-eographical 

 variety of the Old World form/and is a 

 native of northern North America, from 

 Alaska to Newfoundland. This is its 

 usual breeding range, though it migrates 

 m winter to the northern border of the 

 United States, and is an occasional vis- 

 itor, during severe winters, as far south 

 as Maine and Idaho. It is much more 

 common in the northern portion of its 

 range. 



Unlike the other owls, as we usually 

 understand their habits, it may be con- 

 sidered as strictly diurnal, seeking its prey, 

 to a great extent at least, during daylight,' 

 usually during the early morning or even- 

 ing hours. Its principal food consists of 

 the various species of rodents, insects and 

 small birds. Its southward migration is 

 caused by that of its food species, espe- 

 cially that of the lemmings. 



It is a tame bird and may be said to 

 know no fear. We are told by Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher that "specimens have been known 

 to return to the same perch after being 

 shot at two or three times. It is a cour- 

 ageous bird, and will defend its nest 

 against all intruders. A male once dashed 

 at Ur Dall and knocked off his hat as he 

 was climbing to the nest ; other similar 

 accounts show that the courage displayed 



on this occasion was not an individual 

 freak, but a common trait of the species." 



Not alone in its diurnal habits is it like 

 the hawks, but it also resembles some of 

 them in selecting the dead branch of a 

 tall tree in some sightly locality from 

 which to watch for its prey. From this 

 position it will swoop down hawk-like. 

 Like the hawks its flight is swift and yet 

 noiseless, a characteristic which is com- 

 mon to all the owls. 



As a rule its note, which is a sharp, 

 shrill cry, is only sounded when flying. 



As a nesting site, hollow trees are more 

 frequently chosen. However, nests built 

 of twigs and lined with grass are not infre- 

 quent. These are usually placed on the 

 tops of stumps or among the branches of 

 dense cone-bearing trees. The number 

 of eggs varies from three to seven, and 

 are frequentlv laid long before the ice and 

 snow have disappeared. "The eggs vary 

 from oval to oblong oval in shape, are 

 pure white in color, and somewhat glossy, 

 the shell is smooth and fine-grained." In- 

 cubation begins as soon as the first egg is 

 laid, and both sexes participate in this 

 duty, and occasionally both are found on 

 the nest at the same time. At the nest- 

 ing season the courage of both sexes is 

 very marked. The male will fight with 

 its talons, and even when wounded will 

 still defend itself. We are told by Mr. 

 Gentry that "calmly and silently it main- 

 tains its ground, or springs from a short 

 distance on its foe. So, bravely it dies, 

 without thought of glory and without a 

 chance of fame ; for of its kind there are 

 no cowards." 



This bird, like the other species of 

 owls, though possibly not to so great an 

 extent because of its diurnal habits, is 

 looked upon by the Indian tribes as a 

 bird of ill omen and by some tribes all 

 owls are called "death birds." As a whole, 

 the hawk owls are perhaps more useful 

 to man than any other birds that are not 

 used as food. They cause but little trou- 

 ble in the poultry yard and are of in- 

 calculable value to the farmer because of 

 the large number of small rodents that 

 they destroy. 



23 



