RAPTORES. S TR IG ID jE.
TH E W H IT E , OR BARN OWL.
Strix fiammea, White Owl, P enn. >> >> Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 263. >> ,, Mont. Ornith. Diet.
>> >> Yellow ,, B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 65.
Aluco flammeus, Barn ,, F lem. Brit. An. p. 57.
Strixflammea, Bam, or White Owl, Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 99.
„ „ White Owl, Jen yns, Brit. Vert. p. 92.
>> » Bam ,, - Gould, Birds of Europe, pt. vii.
>> >’ Chouette effraie, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. i. p. 91.
Strix. Generic Characters.—Head smooth, not furnished with tufts. Beak
straight at the base, considerably curved towards the point; cutting margin of
the upper mandible nearly straight, under mandible notched. Nostrils oval,
oblique. Facial disk large and complete. Auditory opening large, and furnished
with an operculum. Wings long and ample ; the second quill-feather
generally the longest, the first and third equal in length. Legs long and
slender, clothed with downy feathers to the junction of the toes, which are only
furnished on the upper surface with a few hair-like feathers; claws long,
curved, sharp, and grooved underneath.
N aturalists appear to be agreed that our well-known Barn
Owl may be considered the type of the true Owls, and the
old generic term Strix , is accordingly by most authors continued
to it. Unlike the species last described, the Barn
Owl is resident in this country throughout the year, and is
so peculiar in the colouring of its plumage, and so generally
diffused, that it is probably the best known of all the British
species of Owls.
This White Owl inhabits churches, barns, old malting
kilns, or deserted ruins of any sort, and also holes in decayed
trees. If unmolested, the same haunts are frequented, either
by parent birds or their offspring for'many years in succession.
As a constant destroyer of rats and mice, and that to a very
considerable extent, the services performed by Barn Owls for
the agriculturist have obtained for these birds toleration at
least, while by some they are, as they deserve to be, strictly
protected in return for benefits received.
Unless disturbed, these birds seldom leave their retreat
during the day, and if the place of concealment be approached
with caution, and a view of the bird obtained, it will generally
be observed to have its eyes closed, as if asleep. About
sunset the pair of Owls, particularly when they have young,
issue forth in quest of food, and may be observed flapping
gently along, searching lanes, hedge-rows, orchards, and
small enclosures near out-buildings. In this irregular country,
says White of Selborne, “ we can stand on an eminence,
and see them beat the fields over like a setting dog, and often
drop down in the grass or corn.'” They feed on young rats,
mice, shrews, small birds, insects, &c. parts of all of which
have been recognized at different times on examination of the