III. SUB-FAMILY SYRNIINÆ. THE GREY OWLS.
Head large, with very small and concealed ear-tufts, or entirely without; facial disc nearly complete; eyes rather small; wings rather short; tarsi and toes generally fully feathered. Size various.
I. GENUS SYRNIUM. Savigny, Nat. Hist. Egypt, I. p. 112. (1809.)
Size usually large; head large, without ear-tufts; facial disc nearly perfect; bill rather strong, wide at base, curved from its base; wings long, somewhat rounded, fourth and fifth quills longest; tail long, wide, rounded; legs moderately long, robust; tarsi and toes densely covered with short feathers; claws long, curved, very sharp. A genus containing fifteen to twenty species of various parts of the world, principally northern.
1. Syrnium cinereum. (Gm.) The Great Gray Owl. The Cinereous Owl. Strix cinerea. Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I. p. 291. (1788.) Strix lapponica. Retzius, Faun. Suec., p. 79. (1800.) Strix fuliginosa. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 244. (1809.) Strix barbata. Pallas, Zool. Ross., I. p. 318. (1811.) Strix acclamator. Bartram, Trav., p. 289. (1790.)?
Fauna., Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 31. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 351: Oct. ed., I. pl. 35. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 13, fig. 29. Pallas, Zool. Ross., Birds, pl. 2. Gould, B. of Europe, I. pl. 42.
Large; head very large; eyes small; tail long. Adult. Entire upper parts smoky-brown, nearly every feather more or less mottled and transversely barred with ashy-white; under parts smoky-brown; feathers on the breast edged with ashy-white, and on the abdomen edged and transversely barred with ashy-white, in some specimens all the feathers are ashy-white, with wide longitudinal stripes of smoky-brown; legs brown, with numerous ashy-white transverse stripes; quills brown, with about five wide irregular transverse bands of ashy-white, in some specimens tinged with reddish-yellow, these bands mottled with brown; tail brown, with about five wide irregular bands of ashy-white, which bands are mottled with brown; throat black; discal feathers on the neck tipped with yellowish-white; eye nearly encircled by a black spot; radiating feathers around the eye with regular transverse narrow bars of dark brown and ashy-white; bill pale yellow; claws pale, dark at their tips. Sexes alike.
Dimensions. Female?—Total length, 26 inches; wing, 18; tail, 12 inches.
Hab. Northern North America. Northern Europe and Asia. Breeds in the vicinity of Montreal, Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); Vermont (Mr. Thompson). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is the largest known species of the Owls which inhabit North America, and is restricted on the Atlantic to the Northern States. In Western America its range is not known, but it was brought from Oregon by Dr. Townsend. In the valuable “Sketch of the Zoology of the vicinity of Montreal, Canada,” by Archibald Hall, M. D., the manuscript of which has been kindly and most opportunely placed in our hands by that gentleman, it is stated that this fine bird is a resident species in that district.
2. Syrnium nebulosum. (Forster.) The barred Owl. Strix nebulosa. Forster. Trans. Philos. Soc., London, LXII. p. 386, 424. (1772.) “Strix varius. Bartram, MSS.” Barton, Frag. Nat. Hist. Penna, p. 11. (1799.) Strix chichictli. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 296. (1788.)? Strix fernandica. Shaw, Gen. Zool., VII. p. 263. (1809.)?
Vieill., Ois. d’Am., Sept., pl. 17. Wilson, Am. Orn., IV. pl. 33, fig. 2. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 46; Oct. ed., I. pl. 36. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 10, fig. 21. Gould. B. of Europe, I. pl. 46.
Smaller than the preceding; head large; tail moderate or rather long. Adult. Entire plumage above light ashy-brown, in some specimens with a tinge of fulvous, every feather with transverse narrow bands of white, wider on the back and most numerous on the head and hind part of the neck; plumage of the breast with transverse bands of brown and of white; flanks and abdomen ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal central stripe of brown; tarsi and toes ashy-white, tinged with fulvous, frequently unspotted, but in some specimens mottled and transversely striped with dark brown; quills brown, with about six or seven transverse bars nearly pure white on the outer webs, and on the inner ashy fulvous; tail light brown, with about five transverse bars of white, generally tinged with reddish-yellow; a black spot in front of the eye; discal feathers tipped with white, and finely barred with black, radiating feathers around the eye ashy-white, with stripes of brown behind the eye; throat dark brown; bill pale yellow; claws horn-color; irides bluish-black. Sexes alike.
Dimensions. Female.—About 20 inches; wing, 13½; tail, 9 inches. Male.—Smaller.
Hab. The whole of North America. Accidental in Northern Europe. Canada (Dr. Hall); Minnesota (Mr. Pratten); Texas, New Mexico (Dr. Woodhouse); South Carolina (Prof. Gibbes); Florida (Mr. Audubon). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. A species frequently met with in nearly all parts of the United States, especially in the winter. Occasionally we have seen specimens in the woods, that showed no signs of alarm whatever on being approached, and apparently not at all familiar with man nor with the sound of the gun. During some winters it is abundant in Pennsylvania, probably having migrated from farther north. When wounded, this species seeks safety by hopping away quite awkwardly, showing nothing of the courage of the Great Horned Owl, or even of the comparatively small long-cared species (Otus Wilsonianus), both of which will stand up manfully and defend themselves to the best of their ability, while life lasts.
II. GENUS NYCTALE. Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1271.
SCOTOPHILUS. Swains. Lardner’s Cab. Cy. Birds, II. p. 217. (1837.)
Size small; head large, with no visible ear-tufts; bill moderate, nearly concealed by projecting plumes; facial disc nearly perfect; wings moderate or rather long; tail short; tarsi and toes short and fully feathered. A group containing not more than five species of small Owls, four of which are American, and the other European.
1. Nyctale Richardsoni. Bonap. Comp. List., p. 7. (1838.) Richardson’s Owl. “Strix Tengmalmi. Gm.” Aud., Orn. Biog., IV., p. 559, and other American authors.
Fauna, Bor. Am. Birds, pl. 32. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 380, figs. 1, 2; Oct. ed., I. pl. 32.
The largest of this genus; wings rather long, third quill longest; tail rather long. Adult. Entire upper parts pale reddish-brown, tinged with olive, nearly all the feathers having large partially concealed spots of white, especially on the back part of the head, neck behind, scapulars, and rump; head in front with numerous spots of white; face white, a black spot in front of the eye; throat with brown stripes; under parts ashy-white, every feather with a longitudinal stripe of pale reddish-brown, on the breast some irregular transverse stripes of brown, and in some specimens the white on the sides and flanks assuming the form of large circular spots; legs and toes pale yellowish, nearly white, sometimes irregularly barred and spotted with brown; quills brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner-webs, somewhat disposed to form transverse stripes, very obvious when seen from below; tail brown, every feather with about ten pairs of white spots; bill light yellowish horn-color; claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Male.—Total length, 10½ inches; wing, 7½; tail, 4½ inches. Female.—Larger.
Hab. Northern North America. Maine (Mr. Audubon); Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Oregon (Dr. Townsend). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.
Obs. Entirely a northern species, which, though common in the vicinity of Hudson’s Bay, and on the Saskatchewan, may be regarded as of rare occurrence within the limits of the eastern United States. It is, however, found more frequently on the Pacific. We have never known an instance of this bird having been captured in Pennsylvania. It much resembles the European Nyctale funerea (which has also been extensively called Strix Tengmalmi), but is larger and different in other respects.
2. Nyctale acadica. (Gmelin.) The Acadian Owl. The Saw-Whet. Strix acadica. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 296. (1788.) Strix acadiensis. Lath., Ind. Orn., I. p. 65. (1790.) “Strix passerina. Linn.” Wilson, Am. Orn., IV. p. 66. Strix Dalhousiei. Hall MSS. Macgillivray ed. of Cuv. Reg. An. Birds, pl. 8, fig. 3, name on plate (Edinburg, 1839).
Lath., Gen. Syn., I. pl. 5, fig. 2. Wilson, Am. Orn., IV., pl. 34, fig. 1. Aud., B. of Am., pl. 199; Oct. ed., I pl. 33. Nat. Hist. N. Y. Birds, pl. 11, fig. 23.
Small; wings long; tail short; claws slender. Resembles the preceding, but is much smaller. Entire upper parts reddish-brown, tinged with olive, on the head in front with fine central longitudinal lines of white, and on the neck behind, scapulars and rump with large concealed spots of white: face ashy-white; throat white; under parts white, nearly every feather having a wide longitudinal stripe of pale reddish-brown; under coverts of the wings and tail white; quills brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner-webs, very conspicuous when viewed from below; tail brown, with about three pairs of white spots; bill and claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, 7½ to 8 inches; wing, 5½; tail, 2¾ to 3 inches.
Hab. The whole of North America. Canada (Dr. Hall); Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Northern Ohio (Prof. Kirtland); Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Gambel); Kentucky, Louisiana (Mr. Audubon). Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.
Obs. This is the smallest Owl that inhabits the eastern and middle States of North America, and is of rather frequent occurrence as far south as Pennsylvania. Repeated instances of this little bird having been captured alive in the city of Philadelphia, have come to our knowledge. It appears to be strictly nocturnal, and when discovered in the daytime, is generally quite bewildered, if disturbed, and apparently nearly incapable of seeking safety by flight. The first specimen that ever we met with, we killed with our gun ramrod. That was long ago, in the bright days when natural history was the dream of our youth.
3. Nyctale albifrons. (Shaw.) The White-fronted Owl. Kirtland’s Owl. Strix albifrons. Shaw, Nat. Misc., V. p. (not paged.) (1794.) Strix frontalis. Lichtenstein, Trans. Berlin Acad., 1838, p. 430. Nyctale Kirtlandii. Hoy, Proc. Acad., Philada., VI. p. 210. (1852.)
Cassin, B. of Texas and Cal., I. pl. 11. Shaw, Nat. Misc., V. pl. 171.
Small; wing rather long, fourth quill longest; tail short. Adult. Head and upper portion of breast and entire superior parts dark chocolate brown; front and eyebrows white; throat, and a line on each side running downwards from the base of the under mandible, white; radiating feathers behind the eye dark brown; primaries dark brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large spots of the same on their inner webs; tail dark brown, narrowly tipped with white, and with two bands of the same; entire under parts of the body, legs and toes reddish ochre-yellow; bill and claws dark; iris yellow.
Dimensions. Total length, about 8 inches; wing, 5¼; tail, 3 inches. Female.—Larger.
Hab. Wisconsin (Dr. Hoy); Canada, near Montreal (Dr. Hall); Western?
Obs. Within the limits of the United States, this handsome little Owl has, as yet, only been observed by Dr. Hoy, whose specimens were obtained at Racine, Wisconsin. It is alluded to as Strix acadica, and accurately described by Dr. Hall in his MSS. “Sketch of the Zoology of the district of Montreal,” though represented as of rare occurrence. It is probably a northern and northwestern species.
In the paper cited above, Prof. Lichtenstein regards this bird as the adult Nyctale acadica, and this appears to be the opinion also of the Prince of Canino (Cons. Av., p. 54). It is about the size of N. acadica, but of the numerous specimens of that species which have come under our notice, not one has presented intermediate characters, or has otherwise excited a suspicion that the two species were identical. We at present consider them as distinct species.
We have no doubt that this bird is the Strix albifrons, Shaw, a species which has been lost sight of for upwards of fifty years; but for the gratification of students who may not have access to the necessary books, we append the original descriptions:—
“Ferruginous brown Owl, paler beneath, with the forehead white, and the remiges barred with black and white.
“The very curious and diminutive species of Owl here represented in its natural size, has perhaps never been either figured or described. It is a native of North America, and particularly of Canada. The supposed female is destitute of the white forehead, which forms so conspicuous a character in the male. It belongs to the division of smooth or hornless Owls.”—Shaw’s Naturalist’s Miscellany, V. text, not paged, accompanying pl. 171. (1794.)
The same species, and probably the same specimen, is described by Latham, in General Synopsis of Birds, Supplement II. p. 58 (1801).
“White-fronted Owl, Nat. Mis., pl. 171. Size of the Little Owl. Length eight inches; general color of the plumage on the upper parts brown; the circle of the feathers round the eyes dark, fringed at the back part with white; between the eyes and over the bill and the chin white; the under parts from thence yellow buff; across the breast a pale brown band; on the wing-coverts a spot or two of white; the first five quills marked with a white spot on the outer, and the second quills with the same on the inner margins; the first quills serrated on the outer edge the whole length; the second quill the same, half-way from the tip; tail marked as the quills; legs feathered; bill black; toes dusky.
“This was brought from Quebec, by General Davies, in 1790, and with it another much smaller, which he had in his possession alive; it differed in being more dusky, and the circles of the face not fringed on the back part; otherwise so like, as to be supposed merely differing in age or sex. The General observed to me that this bird frequently erected two feathers over the eye; but although I inspected the specimens very narrowly, I could not observe any feathers longer than the rest; which circumstance is also noticed in respect to the Short-eared Owl.” (Latham, as above.)