THE BIRD BOOK 
377a. Hawk Owl. Surnia ulula caparoch. 
Range.- — Northern North America, breeding 
from the central portions of British America 
northward; probably also breeds in the Rocky 
Mountains in the northern tier of states and 
casually farther. 
White 
American Hawk Owl 
This handsome mottled and barred, gray and 
black Owl might readily be mistaken for a 
Hawk, because of his Hawk-like appearance 
and long rounded tail. They are very active birds, especially in the day time, 
for they are more diurnal than nocturnal; their food is mostly of small rodents, 
and also small birds. They nest either in the tops of large fir trees, in hollows 
of stumps, or, in some cases, upon the ground. When in trees their nests are 
made of twigs, leaves and weeds, and sometimes lined with moss and feathers; 
they lay from three to eight white eggs, size 1.50 x 1.20. Data. — Labrador, May 
3, 1899. Five eggs. Nest in the top of a dead tree, 15 feet from the ground. 
378. Burrowing Owl. Speotyto cunicularia hypogcea. 
Range. — Western North America from the Mississippi 
Valley west to California; north to the southern parts 
of British America and south to Central America. 
These peculiar birds are wholly different in plumage, 
form and habits from any other American Owls. They 
can readily be recognized by their long, slender and 
scantily feathered legs. Their plumage is brownish, 
spotted with white above, and white, barred with brown 
below; length 10 inches. They nest, generally in large 
communities in burrows in the ground, usually deserted 
Prairie Dog holes. W r hile generally but a single pair 
occupy one burrow, as many as twenty have been found nesting together. 
Sometimes the burrows are unlined, and again may have a carpet of grasses 
and feathers. Their white eggs generally number from six to ten; size 1.25 x 
1.00. Data. — Sterling, Kans., May 7, 1899. Nest of bits of dry dung at the end of 
a deserted Prairie Dog burrow. 
White 
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