Evening star., 1944-02-17
This and That
BY Charles E. Trdceueu.

In E. A. C.'s recent letter to you he
mentions seeing f1ickers, bluebirds, red
neaoed Woodpeckers and sapsuckers and
ne asks II they are not unusual In this
area at this time of year.
All of these species occasionally
winter much farther north than the
District.
The red-headed woodpecker is the
mcst erratlc, sometimes being found here
IN numbers and being absent other VIM
ters. Perhaps the food situation governs
It's decision to remain. However, we have
no assurance the unusual winter resi-
dents haven't come from farther north.
10 them this may be south
The owls are early nesters and the
weird calls mentioned may be a part of
their mating ceremony. The barred owl
Is the 'hootiest' Of the hooters. though
the horned owl Is know as the hoot owl
I enjoy the cries of all owls, proving
one mans discord is another mans
music Anyway, after Pistol Packin'
Mama and Marry Doats,' who can cen.
sure me?
Sincerely, Pvt. ]. E. c."
X X
Owls have always intrigued mankind.
From the ancient days of the Greek
heroes down through history owls have
been regarded as pretty wise old birds.
This is. one may feel, mostly because
these odd birds so much resemble hu-
man beings.
They have two big round eyes, two
little ears, two legs and a real face de-
fined by ruff
They resemble some fat old person
out on spree who is trying his best
to look dignifed.
Owls have a notable connection with
the history Of the District of Columbia.
1t was here that much scientific work
was done on the barn owl. In the old
days this owl nested in the towers of
the District Jail and at the Smithsonian
Institution. Deceived as to the season
by the heat from the building, young
were Matched in late fall and winter.
According to May Thatcher Cook, in her
Birds OF the Washington Region"
young barn owls just from the nest were
seen on the ground December 8, 1893.
and February q, 1895. The latter prob
ably were Matched in late December or
early January. Young not over two
weeks from the nest were seen January
7, 1896. On May II, 1914, a female was
found in the northwest tower incubating
five eggs.
1t was one Of these owls which was
studied by DR.. A. K. Fisher, the great
authority on the food habits of hawks
and owls. The owls food habits are
easy for a scientist to study. This is
because he eats his entire prey, holding
1T down with his feet and tearing it to
pieces with his powerful beak. In this
way he never misses scrap, eating
meat, bones, fur and all. You might
think this would harm him, but it does
not, because the indigestible matter is
formed into round pellets and disgorged.
Nature is really marvellous. These pei
lets can be picked up from the ground
beneath the owls roost.
The barn owl is said to eat his own
weight in food every night.
Dr. Fisher examined 200 pellets from
pair of barn owls. They showed a
total of 454 skulls. There were 225
meadow mice, pine mice, ITO house
mice, 20 rats, 6 jumping mice, 20 shrews,
l star-nosed mole and vesper sparrow.
This is an example of the careful work
scientists have done on owls and it
shows beyond doubt that the owls are
among the beneficial BIRDS
Hawks are great mousers during the
day. and owls take over at night, so
that between them these two misunder-
stood species are very helpful to man.
Dr. Fisher also examined LOT stomachs
Of the long-eared owl, of which Is were
empty. OF the 90 remaining, 86, or over
SO per cent, contained remains of small
mammals. Yet these owls are favorites
for shooting, just as the sparrow hawk.
OF the short-eared owl, DR.. Fisher re-
ported that fully rs per cent of its food
consists of mice. AS many as six mice
were found in one stomach. He discov-
cred that fully so per cent of the food
OF the barred owl consisted of mice The
little screech owl eats-well, one guess,
that's right-mice, as well as insects,
grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and cut
worms. DR.. Fisher found the remains
Of more than 100 rats beneath the nest
Of pair of great horned owls. The
smallest owls are the elf owl, which is
six inches long, veritable gnome of a
bird, and the pygmy owl. which Is six
ana one-half inches long, and which
eats birds - large q the robin.