Tengnialin’s Owl.
Strix Tengmalmi, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 291.
Noctua Tengmalmi, Cuv. Règn. Anim., edit. 1829, tom. i. p. 345.
Athene Tengmalmi, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 549.
Ægolius Tengmalmi, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst., p. 34.
Scotophilus Tengmalmi, Swains. Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 217.
Nyctale Tengmalmi, Bonap. Geog. and Comp. List of Birds of Eur. and N. Amer., p. 7-
In size and general appearance the Nyctale Tengmalmi is very similar to Athene melua-, so much so, says
Naumann, th at superficial observers have coofoonded it with that bird ; the ornithologist, however, sees at
a glance that it is not only specifically hut genetically distinct—the face Eg whiter, the facial disk more
complete, the plumage more dense and silky; the arrangement of the markmgs is different, and the tarsi
and toes, instead of being bare, are thickly clothed with feathers. The situations the btrd affects and
the countries it inhabits are also very different; it keeps to the great primeval forests of spruce and fir
clothing the mountains of various parts of Europe, particularly those of Norway, Lapland, and Russ,,.; it is
troe that It is sparingly found in the central parts of Germany, in Switzerland, and occasionally m England,
hut its visits to this country must be regarded as purely accidental. Naumann states that it ,s not
so wild in its disposition as A . noetaa, that it sleeps more soundly dnrmg the day, and is not so easily
aroused and driven from the holes in the trees in which it rests, putting up wtth a good deal of leasing
before it will leave its retreat. Its flight is said to be like that of Ota* m lg am . bat with a quicker fiappmg
° f t o f ^ c o n s i s t s chiefly of small quadrupeds, particularly wood- and field-mice, shrews, and bats, which
latter it probably takes while in a state of rest, or when leaving their lurking-places. Neumann says .« ts a
tra e nocturne, and th at it retires to its resting-place before sunrise, and rema.ns secluded therein until the
Cl°Mr°fH E'. Dresser has kindly furnished me with the following extracts from letters addressed to him
by his friends and correspondents in the countries mentioned below; and I insert them as an interesting
addition to our small stock o f knowledge respecting this species.
Mr. Edward Leidensacher, o f Cilli, ■ Styrfa, says, "N yc ta le Tengmalm, is very rare here, still it ts
occasionally found nesting. On the 4 th May, 1863, I received two fully feathered little owls, taken out of
the nest 1 day previous. T h e , were dark brown, whitish round the facial d isk ; the wings had white,-
grey spots, the bill was bluish, and their irides light yellow. I took care of them, and .a the month
! f October they cast off the brown plumage, and became coloured and marked as Tengmalm s Owls usually
are. They were taken out of a hollow tree, on the edge o f n wood near Prekorje, about an hours
walk from Cilli. The female must certainly have had eggs in March.”
Dr L i t e r , of Transtadt, in Posea, wrote on the 27th March, 1867, 1 1 have found this Owl breeding
five tim e s ,-tw ic e in 1862, when I obtained three eggs on the M of April, and four on the 1 5 th ; and three
times in 1866, viz. on the 25th o f April three eggs incubated, on the 1st of May B B S I M P
■ of the same month four others also fresh. All were found in holes m trees at the height o f about 20
feet from the ground, chiefly on the pine-thickets on the mountains.
I have never observed the Nyctale Tengmalmi in the low lands, whereas, on the other hand its relative,
Athene noctua, occurs th e re ; and I have never found the latter breeding I the larger forests, but invariably
in trees or buildings standing alone in fields or froit-orcliards. As to whether Nyctale Tengmalm also nests
¡11 rocks I cannot say from ,ny own personal observation ; but I have been assured from a most trustworthy
sonrce that such is exceptionally the case. I have always found the eggs a t the.bo.tom of a M SB B
without any regular nest under them, but sometimes surrounded with a slight wreath of straws and feathers.
S H i t„ si, hard, hut Is no. so fearless as Athene naetaa, from under which I have several imes
drawn the eggs without apparently disturbing the bird. The number of the egg, seems to vary be ween
three and four, and not two nod three, as is generally stated. As to whether they have a second brood
I cannot say, as I have always procured the eggs when merely passing through the mountainous part
C°Thin'ecorded instances of the occurrence of Tengmalin’s Owl in the B ritish Islands are on^ ' ^ ^
B — M l