BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
148 
Asio accipitrinus (Pall.). 
Short-eared Owl; Marsh Owl; Swamp Owl. 
Description ( Plate 86 ). 
“ Ear-tufts very short; entire plumage buff or pale-fulvous ; every feather on the 
upper parts with a wide longitudinal stripe of dark-brown, which color predomi¬ 
nates on the back ; under parts paler, frequently nearly white on the abdomen, with 
longitudinal stripes of brownish-black, most numerous on the breast, very narrow 
and less numerous on the abdomen and flanks ; legs and toes usually of a deeper 
shade of the same color as the abdomen ; quills pale reddish-fulvous at their bases, 
brown at their ends, with wide irregular bands and large spots of reddish-fulvous ; 
tail pale reddish-fulvous, with about five irregular transverse bands of dark-brown 
which color predominates on the two central feathers; under tail-coverts usually 
nearly white ; throat white; eyes enclosed by large spots of brownish-black ; ear- 
tufts brown, edged with fulvous ; bill and claws dark ; irides yellow. 
Total length : Female, about 15 inches; wing 12 ; tail 6 inches. Male, rather 
smaller.” B. B. N. A. 
Habitat. —Throughout North America; nearly cosmopolitan. 
The vulgar name of Marsh Owl is quite appropriate, as this species 
frequents mostly during its sojourn in this region marshy districts and 
grass fields. Sometimes small parties of five, eight or even ten indi¬ 
viduals, will be found in favorite grassy retreats. 
According to my observation the Short-eared Owl occurs in Pennsyl¬ 
vania as a tolerably common winter resident, arriving from more north¬ 
ern latitudes, early in November and departing early in April. Turn- 
bull, in his “Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania,” records it as a winter resi¬ 
dent, “not uncommon.” The Messrs. Baird speak of it as “abundant; 
not seen in summer,” and Dr. Michener says: “ Resident, frequent in 
winter; rare in summer.” Audubon found a nest of this owl in Penn¬ 
sylvania on one of the high mountain ridges of the Great Pine Forest, 
on June 17. In reference to this “ find ” he writes: “It contained four 
eggs, nearly ready to be hatched. They were of a dull bluish-white, of 
a somewhat elongated or elliptical form, measuring an inch and a half 
in length, and an inch and an eighth in breadth. The nest was placed 
under a low bush, and covered over by tall grass, through which a path 
had been made by the bird. It was formed of dry grass, raked together 
in a slovenly manner and quite flat, but covering a large space, on one 
side of which were found many pellets and two field mice. I should 
never have discovered their nest had not the sitting bird made a noise 
by clicking its bill as I was passing close by. The poor thing was so 
intent on her task that I almost put my hand on her before she moved; 
and then, instead of flying off, she hopped with great leaps until about 
ten yards from me, keeping up a constant clicking of her mandibles. 
Having satisfied myself as to the species, made an outline of two of the 
eggs and measuring them, I proceeded slowly to a short distance and 
watched her movements. Having remained silent and still for about ten 
minutes, I saw her hop toward the nest, and soon felt assured she had 
resumed her task.” 
L. M. Turner, the Arctic explorer, in his “ Contributions to the Natu- 
