The Western Horned Owl of our illustration is a variety of the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) of eastern North America. It has a wide and extensive range reaching from Manitoba, on the north, into the table-lands of Mexico on the south and eastward from the Pacific coast across the Great Plains. Occasionally specimens are taken as far east as the states of Illinois and Wisconsin. It is replaced in the Arctic regions, by the Arctic Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus arcticus), which is lighter in color, its range only reaching as far south as Idaho and South Dakota. The Western Horned Owl breeds nearly throughout its range. It is of interest that this Owl is not an inhabitant of high altitudes but rather of the foothills and more open country of its range. The Dusky Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus saturatus), the darkest colored of all the owls, taking its place in the higher regions.

In its habits it is closely related to its eastern relative. It has, a similar call note and is, as destructive. It feeds on grouse and ducks as well as other species of valuable food waterbirds. It also kills many forest birds that are useful to man as insect destroyers. It is said that they will feed on mammals, such as, pole cats, prairie dogs, squirrels, rabbits and other rodents. But this is not the worst crime of this marauder, for when it visits, the more thickly inhabited districts it appreciates the delicacies to be found in the poultry yards of the farmer and kills far more than it needs to satisfy its appetite.

With regard to the nesting habits of this Owl, Captain Charles Bendire says: "While perhaps the majority of these birds resort to hollow trees or old nests of the larger hawks and of the common crow, quite a number nest in the wind worn holes in sandstone and other cliffs, small eaves in clay and chalk bluffs, in some localities on the ground, and, I believe, even occasionally in badger holes under ground.

On the grassy plains in the Umatilla Indian Reservation, in northeastern Oregon, I have several times seen Owls of this race sitting on the little mounds in front of badger or coyote burrows, near the mouths of which small bones and pellets of fur were scattered about.

While unable to assert positively that they do actually breed occasionally in such holes, the indications point that way, and this would not seem to be due to the absence of suitable timber, as an abundance of trees grow along the banks of the Umatilla river not more than a mile away. When nesting in trees, large cottonwoods, sycamores, willows, pecans, pines, oaks and firs are generally preferred. In regions, however, where heavy timber is scarce, they content themselves with nests in small mesquite and hackberry trees, frequently placed not more than ten feet from the ground."

Captain Bendire also states that they have been known to use the nests of the black-billed magpie, either laying their eggs on the inside of these curiously built and enormous structures or on the broken down roofs. These nests are well adapted to the requirements of the Owl, for they vary from one to three feet in diameter and are constructed in a very substantial manner. The foundations consist of twigs held together with mud, and upon this, built of smaller twigs, is the nest, which is plastered with mud and lined with grass and small roots. The whole structure is surrounded by dead twigs, which form an arch over the top of the nest. This is a palace which the Owl would never take the trouble to construct, but is willing to use.