Identifier: birdsofmainewith00knig (find matches)
Title: The birds of Maine; with key to and description of the various species known to occur or to have occured in the state, an account of their distribution and migration, showing their relative abundance in the various counties of the state as well as other regions, and contributions to their life histories
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Knight, Ora Willis, 1874-1913
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Bangor, Me. (printed by C. H. Glass & co.)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
reatly doubt that it is really what mayproperly be called common anywhere. In the day time it isvery tame, allowing a person to approach quite closely asattested by a series of photographs I once secured of a livingbird. They generally roost in rather thickish trees duringthe day. At night they fly with a slow noiseless rather halting motionas if carefully scanning the territory as they pass along. Asqueak make by sucking with ones lips pressed tight againstthe back of hand will often bring the Owl at such times tohover suspended almost in ones very face, until a slight move-ment breaks the spell and away it goes slowly and deliberately. In the fall I have often heard a flock of Chickadees engagedin mobbing some luckless Owl and on investigating havegenerally found that the present species or more rarely theSaw-whet Owl was the subject of their indignation meetings.The Owl would sit perched up motionless with wide open star-ing eyes, occasionally snapping its bill with a loud cracking
Text Appearing After Image:
AMERICAN LONG-EARED OWL. Photograph of I hia- Bird liy Ora Wili, Knij;lit OWLS 253 sound when some Chickadee ventured too near to vent hisindignation. I have occasionally heard the old birds but more often thenearly fledged young utter a peculiar whining cry much likea very young puppy, and they also express their feelings byhissing and snapping their bills. In southern California I have often found several of thesebirds roosting together in one live oak tree, and have foundfour or five nests in a small thicket of willows along a stream.Here in Maine they are not so social, and I have never seenmore than one in a place, save for pairs and the young in thenesting season. The eggs are three to seven in number, purewhite and somewhat glossy. The nests are made of sticksand twigs lined with cedar, hemlock or other bark and somefeathers. In the west they appear to occupy deserted Magpies nestsor make nests of their own, while in the east they usually re-make a Crows nest. The eggs are very

Note About Images