A Pioneer History oe Becker County. 
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119. Snowy Owe ( Nyctca nyctea.) 
A winter visitant, sometimes appearing in considerable 
numbers, usually in open country. It is a powerful owl, 
destructive to birds, mammals and fish, but its numbers 
are usually so limited that it is not a disturbing element of 
much importance. 
120. American Hawk Owe ( Surnia ulula cciparoch ). 
A rather common winter visitant throughout the forests 
of northern Minnesota and a few probably remain to breed. 
This owl is sftid often to hunt its prey, hawk-like, in the day¬ 
time. 
The popular idea that owls are able to see but very 
imperfectly in the daytime is not entirely correct, for most, if 
not all, varieties can see well enough to get about with per¬ 
fect ease when forced to move, and several other species be¬ 
sides the Hawk Owl occasionally hunt by day. 
121. Burrowing Owl ( Spcotyto cunicularia hypogcca). 
A bird of the prairie dog towns further west, occasionally 
found in western Minnesota inhabiting deserted badger 
and fox dens. 
122. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus'). 
123. Black-billed Cuckoo ( Coccyzus erythrophthalmus). 
The cuckoos are rather common but shy birds and little seen 
as they inhabit the thick underbrush. Their loud, rattling call 
is, however, well known; and the belief, that they utter 
it usually just preceding storms, has given to them the 
common name of “Rain Crow.” They are about the only 
birds that will eat, in any considerable numbers, the hairy 
caterpillars which are often such a pest; and they are there¬ 
fore, among our most beneficial birds. Unlike the Euro¬ 
pean Cuckoo they build their own nests and rear their own 
young. 
124. Belted Kingfisher ( Ceryle alcyon). 
Common about all the lakes and streams. 
125. Hairy Woodpecker ( Dryobatcs zillosus). 
Common in heavy timber and wooded swamp-land. 
126. Downy Woodpecker ( Dryobatcs pubesccns) . 
Abundant everywhere in woodland. 
127. Arctic Tii REE-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Three-toed 
Woodpecker (Picoidcs ). 
A common permanent resident in the evergreen forests. 
