Identifier: birdlifeguid00chap (find matches)
Title: Bird-life; a guide to the study of our common birds
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Chapman, Frank M. (Frank Michler), 1864-1945 Seton, Ernest Thompson, 1860-1946
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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has, though hemakes a most unwilling servant. The Bald-headedEagle is often an appreciative observer of the Ospreys Bald Eagle piscatorial powers, which so far exceed Ealiwetus his own that he wisely, if unjustly, UucocepMius. profitg hj them> pursuing the Osprey, he forces him to mount higher and higher until the poorbird in despair drops his prize, which the Eagle capturesas it falls. Eagles are becoming so rare in the Northern Statesthat their occurrence is sometimes commented on by thelocal press as a matter of general interest. Nevertheless,no opportunity to kill them is neglected, and the majesticbirds who in life arouse our keenest admiration are sac-rificed to the wanton desire to kill. The Owls. (Family Bubonid^:.) The Owls number about two hundred species, andare distributed throughout the world. As a rule theyare nocturnal or crepuscular birds, passing the day inhollow trees or dense evergreens, and appearing onlyafter nightfall; but there are some diurual species, such
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Plate XXXVII. Page 133. PURPLE GRACKLE. Length, male, 12-50 inches; female, 11-00 inches. Male, head, neck,throat, and breast bright metallic blue, purple, or green; back withiridescent bars; belly paler; eye pale yellow. Female, much dullerthan male. OWLS. 109 as the Snowy Owl and Hawk Owl, northern birds thatvisit us rarely in winter. Because of their nocturnal habits Owls are even moredeserving of protection than the beneficial Hawks, forthey feed at a time when mice are abroad, and theirfood consists largely of these destructive little rodents.They capture their prey, like the Hawks, by striking itwith their powerful talons, when, if small enough, it isswallowed entire. The indigestible portions, hair, bones,and feathers, are formed into pellets in the stomach andejected at the mouth. These may always be found innumbers beneath an Owls roosting place, and form assure an indication of the Owls presence as they do ofthe nature of his food. Thus, as before mentioned, twohundred pelle

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