Nesting of the Long-eared Owl.
(ASIO AMERICANUS)
For the Sunny South Oologist:
It was on the bright spring morning of April 25, 1885, that a friend and myself started for the big woods in search of hawks’, crows’, etc., eggs.
We first went to a crows’ nest we found building the Saturday before, and were most fortunate in securing 3 fresh eggs. This was comparatively a good find, owing to the scarcity of that bird in this locality.
We next made our way to a tammerac swamp, and on the edge we went a little out of our way to look at an old crow’s nest that we knew of, for mere curiosity sake. In the center of the nest two prongs poked out and we thought they were two sticks sticking up; but, to be sure, my friend kicked on the tree, and to my great joy the two prongs moved. At this my friend began to climb the tree, and when about half way up, a large yellowish-brown bird flew sluggishly off the nest, and I could see it was an owl, but what kind I was uncertain. When he reached the nest and shouted down there were 5 eggs in it, I was so excited that I went up and helped him down with them, although there was no need of it. They were of a clear white, and almost globular in form, and measured about 1.60 x 1.40 inches. We imagined them to be all kinds of owls, and were very anxious to find out what they were.
We hunted around now until noon and then sat down by a spring and ate our dinner, which we had brought with us. After a little “lounge” in the sun after our meal, we started out again, and by 3 o’clock p. m., had found nothing but last year’s nests. About 3:30 we came to another tammerac swamp, and in the center there was an old marsh hawk’s nest I was acquainted with, and we made for it, thinking there might be an owl’s nest in it, and you may imagine my delight at seeing the same kind of horns sticking up in the center. This nest was only about 7 feet from the ground, and as soon as I kicked the tree the owl flew off and lit on a limb close by, and I identified her as being a long-eared owl. I regretted that I did not have my gun with me, or I would have had her this day all mounted. I climbed the tree, and in the nest found four more eggs just like those in the first nest, and now our minds were lightened.
As it was getting time to be going home, we started, and on arriving, blew our eggs and found them to be fresh; and one of the sets now glow in the collection of the editor of this paper.
I have found several sets besides this, and know of others being found around here, and they invariably occupy other birds’ nests.
Geo. G. Cantwell,
Minneapolis, Minn.