. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. Ii6 BIRDS OF AMERICA The fine, strong, and picturesque Snowy Owl comes to us as a migrant from the northland where it breeds, and where the long days in summer make its habits chiefly diurnal. This fact has been discovered too late by many a Crow engaged with his brethren in the pleasing diver- sion of mobbing the big white specter sitting on. Drawing by R. I Brasher SNOWY OWL (8 nat. size) A clever fisherman as well as hunter a limb motionless, and presumably blind, because obviously an Owl. For, let one of the black tormentors come near enough and
. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. Ii6 BIRDS OF AMERICA The fine, strong, and picturesque Snowy Owl comes to us as a migrant from the northland where it breeds, and where the long days in summer make its habits chiefly diurnal. This fact has been discovered too late by many a Crow engaged with his brethren in the pleasing diver- sion of mobbing the big white specter sitting on. Drawing by R. I Brasher SNOWY OWL (8 nat. size) A clever fisherman as well as hunter a limb motionless, and presumably blind, because obviously an Owl. For, let one of the black tormentors come near enough and the ghost sud- denly launches out on strong, silent wings, the great talons strike and close, and there is a Crow who would have been wiser but for the circum- stance that he is very dead. In the regions far to the north, where this Owl breeds and therefore does its most persistent hunting, it preys upon small rodents. Ptarmigans, Ducks and other waterfowl, and, according to Captain Bendire, will kill and devour even the Arctic hare, an animal often twice as heavy as the Owl. It is very fond of fish and is said to be expert at catching them alive. It will also eat dead fish washed up on the shore, when other food is scarce. So swift is its flight that it is able to overtake even Grouse in flight. Duck hunters are often startled by the sudden descent of the great bird upon their decoys. In its migrations it is be- lieved to be more destructive to game and other useful birds than the Barred Owl, but less so than the Great Horned Owl. For unknown reasons the winter migrations of the Snowy Owl sometimes amount to veritable invasions. In New York, for example, this phe- nomenon was observed in the winters of 1876- 1877, 1882-1883, 1889-1890, and 1901-1902, when, according to Mr. Eaton, " dozens of speci- mens were collected in various parts of the State, notably on Long Island and near the shores of Lake ; Of its economic value Dr. A. K. Fisher says: " On acc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidbirdsofameri, bookyear1923
