4 PoHCE AU) DUB OUN® BUS eel gre 
young by the action of the parents in feigning injury nearby. This is an 
interesting thing about birds. Many have seen the killdeer act like a 
wounded bird. At the Dunes one time I saw the redstart warbler do this 
same stunt right at my feet. Although I did not find the nest or young I 
must have been very close to them. 
Mr. Ketchin writing of the short-eared owl in 1919 says “We were 
treated to a most ridiculous performance of a ‘wounded-bird’ act by the 
male bird. While watching a female we suddenly heard an awful groaning 
and chuckling sound behind us. This was the male and he was mad clear 
through, darting back and forth and uttering these awful sounds. Finally 
he could stand it no longer and literally dived into a bunch of high weeds, 
where he twisted and turned, and to watch the tops of the weeds one would 
think that nothing less than a death struggle was going on.” 
On one of the C.O.S. trips to the Dunes a Say’s phoebe, as yet 
unidentified by us, was being followed when a short-eared owl flew up 
unexpectedly just over a dune. Our attention being diverted to the owl, we 
might have lost the highlight of the day, as Say’s phoebe is scarce in this 
locality. 
It was interesting to read that the short-eared owl has a flight song of 
courtship, going up into the sky and then returning to earth again, 
reminding one of the song-flight of the woodcock. I have seen the prairie 
horned lark perform in the same way. 
The long-eared owl has a wide distribution over nearly all the United 
States and the timbered regions of Canada. It is not of the deep forests, 
but frequents the dense growth of tree belts along streams where it finds 
shelter for its nest and concealment during the day. It may be more 
common than is generally supposed. Hunting in the dusk of evening and 
early morning, in the moonlight or on dark days, it is not seen very often 
so little is known about it. It is more strictly nocturnal than some of our 
other owls. Due to its coloration and the way it poses, it can be easily 
overlooked. Unless one is familiar with its haunts it would scarcely be seen 
during the daytime hours. Its flight is rather wavering and uncertain, 
something like that of the whip-poor-will. This owl does not often make a 
nest of its own but uses the old nests of crows, night herons, squirrels and 
hawks. It has been known to nest on the ground, but that would be only 
where there is a scarcity of suitable tree nests to be found. The nest may 
have three to eight white eggs, but four or five is the common number to 
incubate. This owl is very bold in defense of its young and will carry on 
the “wounded bird” act to distract intruders from its nest and young. 
Sometimes both birds join in the onslaught. Long-eared owls are worthy 
of protection for from eighty to ninety percent of their food is injurious 
rodents. 
An owl regurgitates the fur and bones of its victims, forming’ pellets 
which may be found at the base of roosting trees. One pellet which I found 
contained the skull of a mouse with the teeth still intact. It is the examina- 
tion of these pellets which has proved beyond a doubt that owls should be 
classified as beneficial birds. 
Of the six owls commonly resident in our section of the country the 
