What Bird is That? Part 8

Minn., uncommon. P.R.

A tame little Owl which sometimes may be caught in one's hand. It pa.s.ses the day in dense growth, usually evergreens. Its note resembles the "sound made when a large-tooth saw is being filed."

SCREECH OWL

_Otus asio asio. Case 1, Figs. 13, 14_

The two s.e.xes are alike, the two color phases being individual and representing dichromatism.

Among animals, gray and black squirrels furnish a similar case. The ear-like feather-tufts give the bird a cat-like appearance, hence the name 'Cat Owl.' The young are downy-looking creatures evenly barred with dusky. L. 9.

_Range._ Screech Owls are found throughout the greater part of the Western Hemisphere. Our eastern form occurs in the eastern United States from Canada southward. The Florida race (_O. a.

florida.n.u.s_, Case 3, Fig. 19) is smaller and of a darker gray than the northern bird. The 'red'

phase is rare.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common P.R. Ossining, common P.R.

Cambridge, common P.R. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, common P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.

This, the smallest of our 'horned' Owls, is also the commonest. It lives near and sometimes in our homes even when they are situated in towns.

Its tremulous, wailing whistle (in no sense a 'screech') is therefore one of our most characteristic twilight bird-notes. Mice and insects form the greater part of the Screech Owl's fare. Four to six white eggs are laid in a hollow tree, bird-box, or similar site in April.

GREAT HORNED OWL

_Bubo virginia.n.u.s virginia.n.u.s. Case 1, Fig. 16_

Largest of the 'horned' Owls. L. 22.

_Range._ Western Hemisphere in many forms; our form is confined to the eastern United States. A Permanent Resident.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare P.R. Ossining, tolerably common P.R. Cambridge, uncommon, autumn or winter. N.

Ohio, rare P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.

The Great Horned Owl retreats before the civilization that destroys the forests in which it lives. In thinly settled regions its deep-toned, monotone, _whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, whooo, whooo_ is still a characteristic bird voice, but most of us hear it only when we camp in the wilderness.

The bird's fierce nature has won for it the name of "tiger among birds."

Rabbits, skunks, game birds and smaller prey form its fare. The 2-3 white eggs are laid in an abandoned Hawk, Crow, or squirrel nest in February; it is the first of our northern birds to nest.

SNOWY OWL

_Nyctea nyctea_

A large Owl with no 'ear' tufts and yellow eyes; chiefly white with small brownish or blackish markings. L. 25.

_Range._ Nests in Arctic regions, migrating southward irregularly in winter to the northern United States.

Was.h.i.+ngton, casual W.V. Ossining, A.V. Cambridge, rare and irregular W.V. N. Ohio, rare W.V. Glen Ellyn, very rare W.V. SE. Minn., common W.V., Oct.-Apl.

A rare winter visitant which is more often seen along the seash.o.r.e.

Unlike most Owls it hunts by day, feeding chiefly on mice but also on birds.

HAWK OWL

_Surnia ulula caparoch_

A medium-sized Owl with a whitish face and yellow eyes and a _long, rounded_ tail; the head is spotted, the back barred with whitish; the underparts are barred with white and blackish. L.

15; T. 7.

_Range._ Northern North America, rarely visiting the northern United States in winter.

Cambridge, very rare in late fall. N. Ohio, rare W.V. SE. Minn., uncommon W.V., Oct.-Mch.

"The Hawk Owl is strictly diurnal, as much so as any of the Hawks, and like some of them often selects a tall shrub or dead-topped tree in a comparatively open place for a perch, where it sits in the bright sunlight watching for its prey" (Fisher).

FLORIDA BURROWING OWL

_Speotyto cunicularia floridana_

A small, ground Owl, with nearly naked legs and feet and no ear-tufts. The upperparts are grayish brown marked with white; the throat is white, rest of underparts barred with grayish brown and white.

L. 9.

_Range._ Southern Florida, chiefly in the Kissimmee Prairie region.

This is a representative of our western Burrowing Owl, which, in some way unknown to man, has established itself far from others of its kind in central southern Florida, where it is locally common. It nests in a hole in the ground, excavated by itself, and lays 5-7 white eggs in March.

PARROTS, MACAWS, PAROQUETS, c.o.c.kATOOS. ORDER PSITTACI

PARROTS AND PAROQUETS. FAMILY PSITTACIDae

CAROLINA PAROQUET

_Conuropsis carolinensis carolinensis_

A long-tailed, green Paroquet with a yellow head, orange forehead and cheeks. L. 12.

_Range._ Formerly southeastern United States north to Virginia, west to Nebraska and Texas; now southern Florida where it is on the verge of extinction, if not extinct.

Was.h.i.+ngton, extinct, known only from specimens shot in Sept., 1865.

The Paroquet has paid the penalty of wearing bright plumes, of making a desirable cage-bird, of being destructive to fruit, and of having little fear of man. Once abundant and wide-spread, for nearly the past half a century it has been restricted to Florida, where the species will soon go out of existence, if it has not already done so. Its nesting habits are unknown.