The Burrowing Owl 
Nesting. — Nest: At end of underground burrow, 4 to 10 feet in length, usually a 
mere cushion of dried horse-dung, occasionally with admixture of feathers and other 
soft substances. Eggs: 5 to 11; white, subspherical, highly glossed. Av. size 31.8 x 25.4 
(1.25 x 1.00). Season: April 20—May 20; one brood. 
Range of Speotyto cunicularia. —Treeless portions of the western United States 
and adjoining British Provinces, south to southern South /America. 
Range of 5 . c. hypogcea. —Western North America from Puget Sound (locally), 
central British Columbia, southern Saskatchewan, and southwestern Manitoba, south 
to Panama, and from the Pacific Coast (exclusive of the humid strip) with most of the 
adjacent islands, east to central Nebraska, Kansas, and southeastern Louisiana. 
Migratory from the northern portions of its range. 
Distribution in California. —Common resident in the treeless portions of the 
State up to the Transition zone. Not found in the humid coastal strip above Marin 
County, nor on the rocky desert ranges. Occurs regularly upon the islands from the 
Farallons south. Numbers undoubtedly augmented in winter by migrants from the 
North. 
Authorities.—Gambel ( Athene socialis), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. iii., 
1846, p. 47 (Calif.; crit., habits, voice); Cones , Birds of the Northwest, 1874, p. 321 
(syn., desc. habits, etc.); Tyler, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 51 (San Joaquin 
Valley; habits, etc.); C. A. Wood, Contr. to Med. and Biol. Research, 1919, p. 818 
(eye structure). 
“BILLY OWL” is the humorous and halt affectionate name be¬ 
stowed by all good Californians upon this familiar sprite of the roadside, 
this authentic genius of open spaces. Like an elfin sentry the bird 
challenges from his earthen mound, denounces us valorously as tres¬ 
passers, and then either dives ignominiously below or flees to some 
distant sage top. Or, if he holds his own at the mouth of the home 
burrow, he bows and clucks in a fashion which is eccentric rather than 
polite. Of the bird’s absurd appearance Coues has testified in a memor¬ 
able passage; 1 
“Their figure is peculiar with their long legs and short tail; the 
element of the grotesque is never wanting; it is hard to say whether they 
look most ludicrous as they stand stiffly erect and motionless, or when 
they suddenly turn tail to duck into a hole, or when engaged in their 
various antics. Bolt upright on what may be imagined their rostrum, 
they gaze about with a bland and self-satisfied, but earnest air, as if about 
to address an audience upon a subject of great pith and moment. They 
suddenly bow low with profound gravity, and rising as abruptly, they 
begin to twitch their face and roll their eyes about in the most mysterious 
manner, gesticulating wildly, every now and then bending forward till 
the breast almost touches the ground, to propound the argument with 
more telling effect. Then they face about to address the rear, that all 
alike may feel the force of their logic; they draw themselves up to their 
1 Birds of the Northwest, 1874, PP. 326-7. 
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