The Saw-whet Owl 
“On July i, a Great Gray Owl was met with on the old Snow Flat 
trail, a mile or so north of Indian Rock. When first seen it was perched 
on a low limb of a lodge-pole pine not over ten feet above the ground. 
Two Juncos nearby were in spasms of excitement. The owl, taking 
alarm, flew to a higher branch of a nearby tree, and thence made off into 
a dense stand of red firs. Its species was easily recognized by its great 
size, dark gray plumage, big round head without ears, and by the slow 
flapping of its broad rounded wings. No note was given by this bird. 
This was at I 130 p. m. As far as our observations went, this species 
would seem to be more active by daylight than other owls, such as the 
Pacific Horned. 
“In Aspen Valley, on October 13, 1915, at 7:30 p. m., an owl note, 
supposedly of the Great Gray, was heard; it proved impossible to verify 
the identity. Near Tamarack Flat, on May 24, 1919, similar notes were 
heard, but the birds.were not seen. Notes of certain individual Band¬ 
tailed Pigeons proved so much like those of this owl as to cause confusion 
until the authors of the notes were actually seen to be pigeons.” 
No. 215 
Saw-whet Owl 
A. O. U. No. 372. Cryptoglaux acadica (Gmelin). 
Synonyms.— Acadian Owl. Kirtland’s Owl. 
Description. — Adult: Without ear-tufts; upperparts dull reddish brown (Prout’s 
brown), unmarked on back, rump, and nape; sharply streaked on forehead, crown, and 
sides of neck with white; cervix with considerable irruption of basal white; outer scapu¬ 
lars and middle wing-coverts with large rounded spots of white; semicircular white 
spots on outer webs of outer primaries and large rounded white spots on inner webs of 
primaries and secondaries; tail white-tipped and crossed by three interrupted bars 
of white; wing-linings, axillars, sides (narrowly), flanks, legs, and feet, pale tawny; the 
remaining underparts white, heavily and broadly streaked with reddish brown; border 
of eye black, surrounding feathers white, shading into tawny and mingled tawny and 
brown on outer disc-feathers, rim chiefly mixed brown and white, but brown clear 
below and sharply set off by narrow white pectoral band. Bill and claws blackish. 
Immature birds are much darker (dark sepia to dark Vandyke brown) on head, breast, 
and upperparts; white spotting much reduced, chiefly confined to forehead and quills; 
posterior half of underparts plain dark tawny; contrasts in black and white of facial disc 
more emphatic. Length 177.8-203.2 (7.00-8.00); wing 138 (5.43); tail 68 (2.68); bill 
from cere 12 (.47). Females average a little larger. 
Recognition Marks. —Towhee size, but appearing larger; larger than Pygmy 
Owls (Glaucidium gnoma)\ body longer, not chunky; tail not conspicuous nor held at 
angle; without ear-tufts as compared with Otus asio group. 
Nesting. — Nest: In hollow trees, deserted woodpecker holes, etc. Eggs: 4 to 7; 
white, subspherical. Av. size 30.5 x 25.4 (1.20 x 1.00). Season: April-June, accord¬ 
ing to altitude; one brood. (Fyffe, May 17, 1913—brood of five young—Ray). 
1099 
