The Virginian Eared Owl is a well 
known inhabitant of many parts of America. 
It is a very large bird, nearly equalling the 
great Owl in magnitude, and being in no 
way inferior in strength or courage. This 
species in former days did great damage 
among the poultry of the agriculturists, being 
a bold as well as a voracious bird. Now, 
however, the ever-ready rifle of the farmer 
has thinned its numbers greatly, and has 
inspired the survivors with such awe, that 
they mostly keep clear of cultivated lands, 
and confine themselves to seeking after their 
legitimate prey. 
The Virginian Eared or Horned Owl is a 
terrible destroyer of game, snatching up 
grouse, partridges, hares, ducks, sparrows, 
squirrels, and many other furred and feather- 
ed creatures, and not unfrequently striving- 
after larger quarry. The wild turkey is a 
favourite article of diet with this Owl ; but on 
account of the extreme wariness of the 
turkey nature, the depredator finds an unseen 
approach to be no easy matter. The usual 
mode in which the Owl catches the turkey 
is, to find out a spot where its intended prey 
is quietly sleeping at night, and then to 
swoop down suddenly upon the slumbering 
VIRGINIAN EARED OWL. bird before it awakes. Sometimes, however, 
the Owl is baffled in a very curious manner. 
Bubo Virginidnus . When the turkey happens to be roused by 
the rush of the winged foe, it instinctively 
ducks its head and spreads its tail flatly over its back. The Owl striking upon 
the slippery plain of stiff tail feathers, finds no hold for its claws, and glides off 
the back of its intended victim, which immediately dives into the brushwood 
before the Owl can recover from the surprise of its unexpected failure. 
The nest of this bird is extremely large, and consists of a large bundle of 
sticks, grass, leaves, and feathers, placed in the fork of some large bough, and 
containing three or four white eggs. The colour of the Virginian Eared Owl 
is reddish brown upon the upper surface, mottled with various splashes of black. 
