Sept., 1909 
SOME OWLS ALONG THE GILA RIVER IN ARIZONA 
147 
Barn owls are rare in this locality, as I have seen only four of them in two 
years here; and one at Agua Caliente. The Indians call this bird Er-er-tva-ho-tum, 
and say it is a blood-sucker or vampire. I helpt capture two of the owls in the 
bottom of a dry well; another was seen in an old adobe building, while the fourth 
was in a cottonwood tree near the river. At Agua Caliente the owl was in a clump 
of mesquite trees at the base of a Mai Pais hill. 
The Spotted Screech Owl is rather numerous, living in natural cavities and 
Gilded Flicker holes in cottonwood and willow trees. The Indians would give me 
no name for this owl; one man said it had a name but he had forgotten it; another 
lookt puzzled and said he thought it had a name but he had never heard it. They all 
knew the bird however. The Screech Owl I believe is responsible for the disappear- 
ance of many of the smaller birds, and some of the larger ones. I have frequently 
found feathers in their nests, and last year saw remains of a Bluebird and an Oriole 
in one of their nests. Woodpeckers frequently fall victim as I have found remains 
of the Gilded Flicker, and Gila and Texas Woodpeckers in and near their nests and 
CASA GRANDE RUINS WHICH A PAIR OF WESTERN HORNED OWES MADE THEIR HOME 
FOR SEVERAL YEARS 
retreats. The safety of birds nesting in holes near the home of these owls may 
depend on the food supply or on the temper of the destroyer. That they do not 
always molest birds near them is proven by the fact that nests of young birds may 
be found in holes very close to them. I saw a nest of young Flickers in a hole 
only three feet from the nest of an owl, and saw others only a few 7 feet away. In 
holes in a dead cottomvood stump 25 feet high I found the following happy family: 
a Sparrow Hawk in the top story; a Gilded Flicker next; then a Screech Owl; and 
last a wood-rat. 
March 29 was the earliest date of nesting, and the four eggs were about half 
incubated. April 12 w 7 as the latest date, with four fresh eggs; and on that date 
were also seen nests with young recently hatcht. A hole in a low willow stump con- 
tained a dead owl on three addled eggs. One nest of young contained tv 7 o partly 
eaten mice and some frog legs; but most holes showed signs that small birds 
figured largely on the bill-of-fare. Four eggs seem to make up the usual set, as 
the majority of nests contained that number; while sets of three were occasionally 
