The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-08-30
AGRICULTURAL.
The Screech Owl and His Work.

The little screech owl is the most
common ard well known Of the owl |
family. Every dweller in the country !
has heard his peculiar cry, and many
timid ones have been frightened by it.
In American Gardening is the follow
ing interesting article on this owl,
which we reproduce for the interest
and profit of our readers:
The interesting little screech owl is
found throughout the temperate re-
gions of the earth. This species ls gen
eral in the most of North America.
This owl is the most common, the best
known, and the next to the smallest OF
the owls of the eastern United States.
1t is the smallest owl with scar tufts"
in the United States, and these con-
spicuous appendages serve to distin-
tinguish it from its yet smaller and
more rare cousin the saw-whet owl. 1t
is an interesting fact that the plumage
of the common screech owl presents
two phases, sometimes red and some
times gray, with no known explanation.
1t is certain that it is not due to age,
sex, or season. Two individuals from
the same nest may present the differ
ence which is called dichroism.
1t nests in holes in trees, evidently
preferring old apple orchards and often
fills such holes with mice, small birds,
or fish, as provisions for time of
scarcity. 1t is beyond doubt one of our
most useful birds, yet it is beset with
prosecutions from all sides. We know
of many cases of city boys killing them
the past year. Where we have had OPP
portunity to examine the stomach con-
Ho- al M fOpnH
mice or English sparrows eaten.
This is the first bird in America to
become firmly fixed in it's habit of
feeding on the English sparrow.
Others are gradually assuming the
habit and they deserve our hearty pro-
lection. A screech owl was recently
brought us in which we found two
English sparrows. One reason why
these pests have multiplied so rapidly
is that they have been almost entirely
unchecked by natural enemies in their
new country just as rabbits have be-
come the scourge of Australia. Spar
rows have not multiplied as rapidly as
would rats and mice under unrestrain-
ed conditions but let our carnivorous
birds and mammals form the habit of
feeding on them and they become
doomed.
The following most interesting table
OF stomach contents is published by
the division OF ornithology, United
States department of agriculture:
OF 255 stomachs examined none con-
tanned game birds; contained poultry
Ga pigeon }; 3S, others birds Gncluding
IL English sparrows; 81, mice (mostly
house mice); II, other mammals Qn-
Guiding rats, chipmunks, flying squir-
rel, shrew, mole); 2, lizards; a, bat
trachians; /, fish; 100, insects; 5,
spiders; 9, crawfsh;7, Q scorpions; 2,
earthworms, and 43 were empty.
This interesting table from such
abundant and reliable data proves con-
clusively that the screech owl does no
harm and much good by feeding ex-
tensively on mice, English sparrows
and insects. Cut hole the size of
mans fist under the cave of the barn
or shed. Fasten securely inside, near
the rafters, a box of about cubic foot
in dimensions. Cover the bottom of
the box an inch or two with earth, up
on this strew some leaves or other lit
ter; cut hole in the box the size of a
screech owl, cover the box and you
will soon find that these very valuable
little neighbors are making themselves
at home with you, remaining all the
year around, rearing their young and
needing more boxes, and every night
catching numbers of house mice, field
mice, English sparrows, grasshoppers,
beetles, cutworms, etc. Although this
is no fanciful story, these most valua-
BILE birds are unprotected by law in
every State in the Union. What a
lack of appreciation and encourage
ment for faithful services. 1t is ever
thus.