. Handbook of birds of the western United States, including the great plains, great basin, Pacific slope, and lower Rio Grande valley . n. Nest. — Old woodpecker holes, natural cavities in trees, and old nests ofother species relined Avith moss and feathers. Eggs: o to 7, white. Food. — Small mammals, such as mice, lemmings, and ground squirrels;also ptarmigans and insects. The hawk owl is strictly diurnal, as much so as any of the hawks,and like some of them often selects a tall stub or dead-topped tree ina comparatively open place for a perch, where it sits in the brightsunlight watching for
. Handbook of birds of the western United States, including the great plains, great basin, Pacific slope, and lower Rio Grande valley . n. Nest. — Old woodpecker holes, natural cavities in trees, and old nests ofother species relined Avith moss and feathers. Eggs: o to 7, white. Food. — Small mammals, such as mice, lemmings, and ground squirrels;also ptarmigans and insects. The hawk owl is strictly diurnal, as much so as any of the hawks,and like some of them often selects a tall stub or dead-topped tree ina comparatively open place for a perch, where it sits in the brightsunlight watching for its prey. Although the flight is swift andhawk-like, it has nevertheless the soft, noiseless character commonto the other owls. When starting from any high place, such as thetop of a tree, it usually pitches down nearly to the ground, and fliesoff rapidly above the tops of the bushes or high grass, abruptly ris- HORNED OWLS, ETC. 189 ing again as it seeks another perch. The note is a slirill cry whichis uttered generally while the bird is on the wing. (Fisher.) GENUS SPEOTYTO. BURBOWING tarsus more than twice as long- asbare. Jbioiu Biolujiicul Survey, U. S. Agriculture. Fig. 252. 378. Speotyto cunicularia hypogsea (Bonap.)Owl. Tail only about half as long as wing-:middle toe. scantily feathered in frontbehind; toes bristly. Adults. — Upper parts dull earth brow and barred with white and buff y ;under parts mainly buffy barred with brow : under parts mainly buffy, unmarked :upper parts plain brown except wings andtail, which are as in adults. Length: tail , bill ..■). Distribution. — Plains region from thePacific east to Dakota and Texas, and fromBritish Columbia and eastern slope of RockyMountains soiitli to Guatemala. Nest. — At tlie end of an old burrow ofprairie dog, badger, or ground squirrel, or ina similar cavity. -Eggs: 0 to 11, white. Food. — Ground squirrels, young prairiedogs, mice, gophers,
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