HORNED OWLS, ETC.: PALLID HORNED OWL 321 
From Handbook of Western Birds 
Fig. 52. Pallid Horned Owl 
upperparts mottled and vermiculatcd, grayish brown and huffy prevailing , tail and wing 
quills banded with dull brown; underparts white or buffy, mottled and barred with 
brownish, flanks buffy; iris bright yellow, bill dusky, legs and toes (feathered) buffy 
to nearly white. Dark phase: Blackish 
above, markingsbelowblackishinstead 
of brownish, the feet ochraceous and 
mottled. Intermediate phase: Yellowish 
brown predominating on face, body, 
and feet. Young: Following the nest¬ 
ling down, the coloration is more 
uniform than after the next molt, 
when distinctive markings appear. 
Range. —From northwestern 
Lower California and southeastern 
California to Arizona, New Mexico, 
and central Texas south into north¬ 
ern Mexico. 
State Records. —The Pallid 
Horned Owl is found in extreme 
southern and western New Mexico. 
A nest with three eggs was found, 
March 11, 1016, on the Carlsbad 
Bird Reserve (Willett). [Downy young 
were found, March 25 and April 10, 
1924, in the Carlsbad Cave region 
(Bailey) 1; on April 20 (1904 or 1905), 
in a nest at Silver City (Hunn); and 
on the Middle Gila at 7,500 feet, April 12, 1913 (Ligon), which means that the eggs 
were laid early in March, which is probably about the average date for New Mexico. 
[It was commonly observed, May 6-10,1920, between Silver City and the Mexican 
boundary, especially about the Animas Mountains (Ligon). 1 
After the breeding season, specimens were taken in the Animas Mountains, 
north slope, 5,800 feet, August 8, 1908 (Birdseye); at Bedrock, September 24 and 
28, 1908 (Goldman); at Liberty, October 30, 1908 (Birdseye). 
In winter, a specimen was taken at Tularosa, December 25, 1902 (Gaut). In 
the Guadalupe Mountains, south of Queen, it was fairly common, December 31, 
1915 (Ligon). On the Carlsbad Bird Reserve it was noted in January, 1915 [also 
noted in December, 1916; on the Rio Grande Bird Reserve one was seen, December 1, 
1916 (Willett)]; a specimen was taken at Mesilla, 3,800 feet, February 24, 1903 
(Ford); [another taken at Silver City, January 1, 1918 (Kellogg)]. 
Nest (of various species).—Sometimes 12 to 35 feet up in mesquite, oak, or 
hackberry, in an old nest of a crow or hawk, a hole in a large hollow tree, a cliff, cut- 
bank, or cave; occasionally on the ground, and one on a sleeper under a railroad 
bridge; variously lined with sticks, leaves, bark, moss, and their own feathers. 
Eggs: Usually 2 or 3, white. 
Food (of various species).—When mammals are abundant, mainly ground 
squirrels, pocket gophers, prairie dogs, wood rats, kangaroo rats, mice of various 
kinds, rabbits, and other injurious rodents; but also birds, fish, snakes, lizards, 
horned toads, crawfish, scorpions, grasshoppers, cattle grubs, Jerusalem crickets, 
moths, large vinegarroons, many kinds of beetles, and other insects. When mammals 
are scarce, largely game birds and poultry, if poultry is left unhoused at night. 
When mammals are abundant, this large voracious Owl is “an important ally of the 
