Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl is so muscular and so well armed with heavy beak and iron talons that it does not hesitate to capture large prey, such as large chickens, geese, and even turkeys. It is very fond of cotton-tail rabbits, whose skulls it crushes with a nip of its beak, and often kills skunks, though it may carry a reminder of the encounter for months. It is one of our most destructive birds of prey, though it varies its diet with mice and other harmful creatures.
The deep-voiced hoot of this owl is usually heard on early spring nights. A mellow, bass who, who-who-who, who, who, with remarkable carrying power, is the love-song. It is sometimes given all night long during late January, when the moonlight gives the woodlands a chilly and mysterious brilliance. A loud and startling scream is sometimes given, which is often wrongly attributed to a wild cat. The probability is that a wild cat in its wildest fit of anger or alarm could not produce a sound half so loud and terrifying.
In captivity the Great Horned Owl rarely becomes tame, though it may stand on its perch quietly enough during the day. One which I had at one time was somewhat tractable, yet not to be trusted. It caught the fingers of my left hand one day with its great claws. Being unable to extricate myself, and being threatened at any minute with a nip from the vicious beak, I summoned aid. I learned a little that day about the terrific grip that closes upon the unfortunate rabbit or skunk this creature captures.
SNOWY OWL
Nyctea nyctea (Linnæus)
Other Names.—White Owl; Arctic Owl; Snow Owl.
Description.—Size large, head without ear-tufts; feet so heavily feathered that the claws are sometimes hidden. Plumage white, barred with dark grayish brown, particularly on the back and wings and sides of breast. Individuals vary greatly in appearance, some being pure white, others being heavily barred. Younger birds are usually darker. Eyes bright yellow. Length: About 2 feet.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A rare and irregular winter visitor, particularly in the northern counties, and occasionally common as during the hiemal invasion which occurred in 1926-27.
The Snowy Owl is a bird of the open fields, not of the woodlands, and, like the Rough-legged Hawk, is likely to be seen perched on a fence-post, a hay-stack, or on the ground, rather than in a tree. Its white plumage makes it a prominent feature of the landscape save when there is snow on the ground.
In Pennsylvania, its food includes small game animals and birds, mice, and other small mammals, and, occasionally, poultry. It is not particularly harmful, since it usually confines its hunting to the open fields. In the North Country it preys upon water-fowl. Its flight is very strong and rapid. It is not protected in Pennsylvania, though it should be because of its great rarity.
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO
Coccyzus americanus americanus (Linnæus)
Other Name.—Rain-Crow.
Description.—A long, slender bird about the size of a Robin, with very long tail and curved bill; feet with two toes pointing forward, two backward. Upperparts olive-gray, glossed with green, the primaries rich reddish brown, apparent in flight; tail with outer feathers black, broadly tipped with white, the outer vane of outer feathers also white; underparts white; bill blackish, the lower mandible rich yellow; eyes dark brown; eyelids yellowish. Length: 12 inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A summer resident from early May to late September, found chiefly about orchards and shade trees, principally in the southern and less mountainous counties. Additional nesting records of this species are desirable.
Nest.—A loose platform of twigs placed on a horizontal branch, usually not more than 15 feet from the ground. Eggs: 3 to 6, pale greenish blue.