Part 22

This is the least of the species of Owls inhabiting North America, and has never been observed east of the Rocky Mountains. It lives on insects.

V. SUB-FAMILY NYCTEININÆ. THE DAY OWLS.

Head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings rather long, wide; tail rather long, ample; tarsi strong, and with the toes densely covered with hair-like feathers; claws strong, sharp; plumage very thick and compact. This sub-family includes only the two species now about to be described, both of which are common to the Arctic regions of America, Europe, and Asia, migrating southward in the winter. They are the least nocturnal of all the birds of this family.

I. GENUS NYCTEA. Stephens, Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., XIII. p. 62. (1826.)

Size large; head large, without ear-tufts; no facial disc; bill short, very strong, nearly concealed by projecting feathers; wings long, wide, third quill longest; tail moderate or rather long, broad; legs short, and with the toes densely covered with feathers, almost concealing the claws, which are long, curved, and strong; general form compact and robust, and thickly feathered. This genus contains only the species described below.

Nyctea nivea. (Daudin.) The Snowy Owl. The White Owl. Strix nivea. Daudin, Traité d’Orn., II. p. 190. (1800.) Strix nyctea. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 132. (1766.) Strix candida. Lath., Ind. Orn., Supp., p. 14. (1801.) Strix erminea. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 251. (1809.) Strix arctica. Bartram, Trav., p. 289 (1791, but not of Sparrman, 1789.)

Large; eyes large; bill nearly concealed by projecting feathers; tarsi and toes densely covered with hair-like feathers, nearly concealing the claws. Adult. Entire plumage white, in some specimens with a few spots only on the upper parts of dark brown, and on the under parts with a few irregular transverse bars of the same; quills and tail with a few spots or traces of bands of dark brown. In other specimens every feather except on the face and neck before, is distinctly banded transversely with brown, and in some specimens that color predominates on the upper parts; quills and tail with regular transverse bands of dark brown; plumage of the legs and feet pure white; bill and claws dark horn-color; irides yellow.

Dimensions. _Female._—Total length, 24 to 26 inches; wing, 17; tail, 10 inches. _Male_, smaller.

Hab. Northern North America. Northern Europe and Asia. Greenland (Prof. Holboll); Hudson’s Bay (Mr. Hearne); Canada (Dr. Hall); Vermont (Mr. Thompson); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Kamschatka (Pallas); Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); South Carolina, Kentucky (Audubon); Bermuda (Sir W. Jardine). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This large and handsome Owl is abundant in the Arctic regions of America, and has been observed at the highest northern latitude yet reached by voyagers. In the winter, it migrates southward over the greater part of Asia, Europe, and North America. It is to be met with every winter in the Northern and Middle States of the Union, though greatly varying in numbers in different years. We have known it to be so abundant in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as to be brought commonly by the farmers to the market in Philadelphia, and sold for a trifle.

According to Dr. Hall, this fine species breeds in the vicinity of Montreal, making its nest on the ground. Mr. Audubon’s plate represents this bird unusually dark.

II. GENUS SURNIA. Dumeril, Zoologie Analytique, p. 34. (1806).

Size medium or small; head moderate, without ear-tufts; facial disc obsolete; bill moderate, strongly curved, with projecting plumes at base; wings long, third quill longest; tail long, graduated, broad; legs short, and with the toes densely feathered. General form rather lengthened, but moderately robust. This genus includes the Hawk Owl of the Arctic regions and two other species of South Africa.

1. Surnia ulula. (Linn.) The Hawk Owl. The Day Owl. Strix ulula. Linn., Syst. Nat. I., p. 133. (1766.) Strix uralensis and hudsonia. Gm., Syst. Nat. I., p. 295. (1788.) Strix doliata. Pallas, Zool. I., p. 316. (1811.) Surnia borealis. Less., Traité d’Orn. I., p. 100. (1831.) “Strix funerea. Linn.” Audubon and other authors.

Buff., Pl. Enl. 463; Edward’s Birds, pl. 62; Wilson, Am. Orn. VI., pl. 50, fig. 6; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 378; Oct. ed. I., pl. 27; Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 9, fig. 19.

Size medium; first three quills incised on their inner-webs; tail long, with its central feathers about two inches longer than the outer; tarsi and toes thickly feathered. Adult. Entire upper parts fuliginous brown; the head and neck behind with numerous small circular spots of white; scapulars and wing-coverts with numerous partially-concealed large spots of white; face silky grayish-white; throat mixed dark brown and white; a large brown spot on each side of the breast; all the other under parts transversely lined or striped with pale brown; quills and tail brown, with white stripes; bill pale yellowish and horn color; irides yellow; color of upper parts darkest on the head, and the white markings on the head and body varying somewhat in different specimens.

Dimensions. _Female._—Total length, 16 to 17 inches; wing, 9; tail, 7 inches. _Male_ smaller.

Hab. Northern regions of both continents. Montreal (Dr. Hall); Maine, Massachusetts (Dr. Brewer); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Northern Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); Vermont (Mr. Z. Thompson); Hudson’s Bay (Dr. Richardson); New Jersey (Mr. Harris). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This remarkable species, which partakes of the characters of both an Owl and a Hawk, is of very rare occurrence in the Middle States of this Union, though abundant in the northern regions of America, and occasionally met with in the Northern States. It is in a great measure diurnal in its habits, venturing abroad boldly in daylight.

Careful examination of numerous American and European specimens has not enabled us to detect any differences.

This bird was undoubtedly meant by Linnæus in his description of _Strix ulula_. The name applied to it by various authors, _Strix funerea_, is properly applicable to the European species, to which Gmelin gave the name _Strix Tengmalmi_.

The descriptions now given embrace all the species of Owls the existence of which in America north of Mexico is satisfactorily demonstrated; though in the succeeding pages various others will be enumerated as obscure or little known.

All the species enumerated in the preceding synopsis, except _Nyctale albifrons_, are known to be of common occurrence in some part of that portion of this continent included in our limits; and specimens of a majority of them can be obtained generally in the course of a single winter in the markets of either of the larger cities, being brought for sale from the country, as is the case with the Falcons, and also all the larger and most common wading and swimming birds. The study of the habits of Owls is, however, attended with peculiar difficulties, on account of their nocturnal habits; and it is not therefore remarkable that questions respecting common species are yet to be regarded as unsettled. The identity, for instance, of _Scops asio_ and _Scops nævia_, is by no means universally admitted; nor, if identical, is the change in the colors of their plumage sufficiently well understood. Gentlemen well acquainted with American ornithology, and in whose opinions we have the highest confidence (as, for instance, Thomas B. Wilson, M. D., and Samuel W. Woodhouse, M. D., of Philadelphia), are strongly disposed to doubt that they are identical.

Specimens of Owls to be met with in North American collections are very generally in winter plumage; and the procuring of several of the species in the spring or during the summer, is comparatively of unusual occurrence. The fully ascertaining of the seasonal changes in any species is yet desirable, even if only confirming previously known facts, or the statements of authors. It is possible that _Nyctale albifrons_ is the adult of _Nyctale acadica_. This we give as an example illustrative of the importance of further observations, and may be allowed to add that, of several American species nearly related to others of Europe and Asia, the comparison of specimens of similar ages and in similar seasonal plumage, is only satisfactory and reliable.

In Western North America, it is exceedingly probable that species of this family exist which are yet unknown to naturalists. In Texas, species known as inhabitants of Mexico may yet be detected.

All the Owls found in the northern portion of the United States, are in some measure migratory, and some species appear to travel in large bands, scattered over a considerable extent of country. The Snowy Owl is sometimes abundant for a few days, and then will suddenly disappear from a district, perhaps soon to appear again. The Marsh Owl appears along the river Delaware occasionally in considerable numbers, and staying but a short time, or leaving apparently only a few stragglers. We once saw what was very nearly a flock of this species, on a shooting excursion in “the Neck,” as it is called, or the point of land below Philadelphia, formed by the junction of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, the larger portion of which is wholly devoted to the cultivation of culinary vegetables for the market of the city. On getting over the fence into a small field, in which a crop of cabbages had been raised, the smaller _heads_ of many of which remained, we were surprised to see a large number of stalks ornamentally surmounted by Owls. They soon, however, dispersed in all directions.

The Barn Owl (_Strix pratincola_), as well as the Marsh Owl (_Otus brachyotus_), we have known to occur in open fields, where but little concealment was possible.

The Red or Mottled Owl is very persistent in its locality, and the same pair probably returns to the woods that it has previously occupied in preceding seasons, in some measure disregarding encroachments on its extent. In a small tract of timbered land at Powelton, the hospitable residence of John Hare Powel, Esq., surrounded by villages constituting a portion of the suburbs of Philadelphia, a pair of this species continued to appear and to raise broods of young until within a period of only two or three years past, notwithstanding constantly occurring chances of molestation.

An interesting fact relating to the species just mentioned (_Scops asio_), has recently been communicated to us by our esteemed friend, Mr. William Kite, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, a careful observer, much attached to the pursuit of natural history. He made the singular discovery that in this species the early ceremonies in the association of a pair about to assume the duties of incubation were for the greater part performed on the ground, and were accompanied invariably by unusual and continued cries, thus illustrating in a striking manner the strong analogy of these birds to the cat-like quadrupeds. This remarkable circumstance we regard as new in the history of this family of birds, and the observation of other species would be in a high degree interesting.

Further investigations and collections in this family are particularly desirable in the western and northwestern regions of North America, and will very probably result in the discovery of species not now known to naturalists.

B.

Doubtful and obscure species which have been described as inhabiting America north of Mexico:—

1. Strix wapacuthu. Gm., Syst. Nat. I., p. 291. (1788.) Pennant, Arctic Zoology I., p. 268. Rich. and Sw. Fauna Boreali Americana, Birds, p. 86, 99.

“The Spotted Owl (_Wapacuthu_) weighs five pounds, and is two feet long and four broad; the irides bright yellow; bill and talons shining black, and much curved, the former covered with bristly hairs projecting from the base; space between the eyes, the cheeks, and throat, white; on the top of the head, and on each side of the concha, the extreme parts of the feathers are dusky black; concha dirty white; scapularies, with the lesser and greater coverts of the wings, white, elegantly barred with reddish dusky spots pointing downwards; the quill feathers and tail are irregularly barred and spotted with pale red and black; back and coverts of the tail white, with a few dusky spots; under coverts and vent feathers white; the breast and belly dusky white, crossed with an infinite number of narrow reddish bars; the legs are feathered to the toes; the latter covered with hairs like those of the bill, but not so strong.

“This bird is an inhabitant of the woods, makes a nest in the moss on dry ground, lays from _five to ten_ white eggs in May, and the young fly in June, and are entirely white for some time after. They feed on mice and small birds, which they generally kill themselves. Hutchins’ MSS., p. 99.” Fauna. Bor. Am., Birds, p. 99.

This species, if distinct from the Snowy Owl, is absolutely unknown to naturalists, never having been noticed by any traveller since Mr. Hutchins. Though, from the description above quoted, apparently a peculiar species, the same name is given by the natives in the vicinity of Hudson’s Bay, to the Snowy Owl, according to Mr. Hearne (Journey to the Northern Ocean, p. 402. London, 1795, quarto); and it, too, makes its nest on the ground. With so little positive information, it is impossible to form more than conjectures respecting the bird alluded to in the description, and it must be left as an interesting matter of inquiry for future explorers and naturalists.

It may be observed with reference to Mr. Hearne’s statement, that if the bird he alluded to was really an Owl, it differs from any other American species in laying from “five to ten eggs.” Careful and evidently accurate statements respecting the incubation of nearly all the northern species, are given by Dr. Hall, in his “Sketch of the Zoology of the District of Montreal” (manuscript in our possession); and no species is represented as producing more than “four to five eggs,” except the Mottled Owl (_Scops nævia_), which lays “five to six.” The Snowy Owl, it is stated by Dr. Hall, lays “two white eggs.”

2. Otus mexicanus. (Gm.) Strix mexicana. Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I., p. 288. (1766.) Bubo clamator. Vieill., Ois d’Am., Sept. I., p. 52, pl. 20. (1807.) Strix longirostris. Spix Av. Bras. 1., p. 20, pl. 9 a. (1824.)

This Owl, which is a rather common South American species, is stated by Vieillot to inhabit America from Cayenne to Hudson’s Bay. His remarks apply, however, to the _Scops asio_ in mottled plumage; though a good plate is given by him of the bird, of which the name is above cited, no specimen of which has ever come under our notice, captured in any part of the United States.

3. Strix Georgica. Lath., Gen. Syn. Supp., p. 15. (1801.)

“Size of the Barn Owl; length sixteen inches and a half; bill yellow; the plumage on the upper parts of the bird is brown, banded with yellowish; throat and breast pale brown, crossed with whitish bands; belly yellowish white, marked with longish red brown streaks; thighs and legs woolly, whitish or very pale in color, varied with small blackish spots; quills and tail feathers brown, crossed with four or five white bands.

“I met with this specimen in the collection of Mr. Humphries, said to have come from several miles within _South_ Georgia, in America.” (Latham, General Synopsis of Birds, Supplement II., p. 64.)

This bird is placed by Latham, in his division of Owls, “with smooth heads,” and probably refers to the Short-eared Owl (_Otus brachyotus_). The description is not, however, entirely applicable. This name may, however, be entitled to precedence as the proper name of that species in the genus _Brachyotus_; and, as an aspirant to such honors, we recommend it to the favorable notice of enterprising ornithologists; and also, while our hand is in, respectfully suggest that as a name for the allied European species, _arctica_, Sparrmann, which dates 1789 (Mus. Carls., pl. 51), might do as well as _palustris_, and have the advantage of more mature age.

4. Strix forficata. Aud., Orn. Biog. V., p. 334. (1839.)

“I shot this bird in the vicinity of Green Bay, when on my way across to the Mississippi; but the drawing which I made of it on the spot has been lost. It was about the size of _Strix acadica_, of a dark grey color, with the tail long and deeply forked; but I am unable to describe it more particularly, the Journal in which it was noticed having been, along with others, destroyed by the great fire which happened in New York some years ago.” (Audubon, as above.)

The bird here alluded to has never again been observed so far as we have learned. The description probably applies to an unknown species, and certainly to one not known as an inhabitant of the United States.

5. “Strix passerina. Gmel.” Aud., Orn. Biog. V., p. 269. (1839.)

Aud., B. of Am., pl. 432, fig. 3; Oct. ed. I., pl. 29.

“Bill greyish, its ridge and tip greyish yellow; iris dark; claws brownish black, lighter at the base; the general color of the upper parts is chocolate brown; the feathers of the head have an oblong white median mark, and, as they are small, this part is marked with numerous spots; on the hind neck the white spots are very large, forming a conspicuous patch; on the back most of the feathers have a single large subterminal roundish spot, which is also the case with the scapulars and wing coverts, some of which, however, have two or more spots; all the quills have marginal reddish-white spots on both webs, the third quill with six on the outer and four on the inner, with two very faint pale bars toward the end; the tail is similarly marked with four bands of transversely-oblong reddish-white spots; on the anterior part of the disc, the feathers are whitish, with black shafts, on the lower part whitish, on the hind part brown, tipped with greyish-white; a broad band of white crosses the throat and curves upward on either side to the ear; there is also a patch of white on the lower part of the fore-neck, and between them is a brownish-grey band; the general colour of the lower parts is dull yellowish-white, each feather with a broad longitudinal band of chocolate-brown; the abdomen and lower tail coverts unspotted; the tarsal feathers dull white.”

Dimensions. Length, to end of tail, 10½ inches; to end of wings, 10; wing, from flexure, 6¼; tail, 3½; tarsus, 1¼ inches. (Aud., as above.)

The bird here described is stated by Mr. Audubon to have been procured near Pictou, Nova Scotia; and he appears to have been confident that it was identical with the European _Strix passerina_. It is, however, clearly not that species. We would suppose it to be the young of _Nyctale Richardsoni_, were it not described as having the “iris dark.” It may be a small and curious new species of _Syrnium_, or perhaps _Nyctale_, and the procuring of specimens would be in a high degree interesting. We have no knowledge of it ever having been observed since the publication of the above description by Mr. Audubon.

6. Syrnium aluco. (Linn.) Strix aluco. Linn., Syst. Nat. I., p. 132. (1766.) Strix stridula. Linn., Syst. Nat. I., p. 133. (1766.)

Selby, Brit. Orn., pl. 25; Gould, B. of Eur. I., pl. 47.

This well known European species is given by Mr. Nuttall, in his “Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada” (I., p. 135), and is stated by him to have been found in the northern regions of this continent. Such is probably the case; but no American specimen has ever come under our notice.

This species exhibits very nearly the same variety of plumage as the American Red and Mottled Owls (_Scope asio_ and _nævia_), and has been described repeatedly under different names.

7. Strix peregrinator. The Sharp-winged Owl. Bartram, Travels, p. 285. (1793.)

With the head eared and the body variegated in color.

Impossible to determine from the brief description, though being given as a species inhabiting Pennsylvania, probably applicable to the Long-eared Owl (_Otus Wilsonianus_).

8. Strix diurnalis. The Short-winged Day Owl. Barton, Fragments of the Nat. Hist. of Penna., p. 9. (1799.)

Stated by Professor Barton to have been observed by him in Pennsylvania on the 15th of December, 1791, but of the species he gives no description.

The names and descriptions now given comprise all that have come under our notice, represented as inhabiting North America within our limits.

Of the birds of this family, the names proposed by the older American naturalists and others, are not numerous; and though the group may be regarded as presenting some difficulties to the student, the correct nomenclature of North American species is not difficult to determine. Bartram enumerated six species (Travels, p. 285), to all of which, except one, he gives names for the first time employed to designate the birds to which he alludes, and to a few of which he attaches sufficient descriptions. All of his species had, however, been previously described, and we have, we believe, cited his names as synonymes, so far as they can be ascertained.

The greatest difficulty in the study of the Owls of North America will be found in the intimate resemblance that a few species bear to others of Europe and Asia, and, we may add, in the examination of the birds which we have given in the preceding pages as varieties of the Great-horned Owl (_Bubo virginianus_). The variations that we have noticed, and especially those of color, may be ascertained by subsequent observation to be so uniform and constant as to constitute specific distinction, though at present we cannot so regard them.

In the Owls of other countries there are several groups in which it is very difficult to determine the species, on account of their resemblance to each other. This is especially the case with the small species of the genus _Scops_, which inhabit India and other countries of Asia; and there are, too, many of the birds of this genus, of all countries, that are exceedingly perplexing. In fact, we would hardly recommend a student in natural history to begin General Ornithology with the Owls.

With this family we conclude the rapacious Birds.

BUTEO INSIGNATUS.—(Cassin.) The Brown Buzzard. PLATE XXXI.—Adult Male and Young Female.

One of the most remarkable facts in the geographical distribution of the birds of western and northwestern North America is, that many species extend their range in northern latitudes almost or quite to the shores of the Atlantic ocean, while not a single instance is on record of the same species having been observed in either of the middle or southern States of the Union. The Magpie, which on the Pacific is commonly found southwardly as far as Mexico, has been noticed by Dr. Hoy, at Racine, in the State of Wisconsin. The Lark Bunting (_Emberiza grammaca_), another western bird, has also been ascertained by the same gentleman to be abundant in the State just mentioned; and the only specimen that we have ever seen of the Stone Chat of America (_Saxicola œnanthoides_), a bird discovered some years since on the coast of Oregon, was obtained in the vicinity of Halifax, Nova Scotia.