_Glaucidium californicum_, SCLATER, Proc. Zoöl. Soc. Lond. 1857, p.
4. _Glaucidium passerinum_, var. _californicum_ (RIDGWAY) COUES,
Key, 1872, 206. _Strix passerinoides_ (not of TEMMINCK!), AUD. Orn.
Biog. V, 271, 1831. _Glaucidium infuscatum_ (not of TEMM.!), CASS.
Birds of Cal. & Tex. p. 189, 1854.—NEWB. P. R. R. Rept. VI, IV, 77,
1857. _Glaucidium gnoma_ (not of WAGLER!), CASS. Birds N. Am. 1858,
62.—HEERM. P. R. R. Rept. VII, 31, 1857.—COOP. & SUCK. P. R. R. Rept.
XII, II, 158, 1860.—COUES, Prod. Orn. Ariz. p. 14, 1866.—CAB. Jour.
1862, 336.—LORD. Int. Obs. 1865, 409 (habits).—GRAY, Hand List, I, 42,
1869.—CAB. Ueb. Berl. Mus. 1869, 207.
SP. CHAR. _Adult_ (♂, 12,054, Puget Sound, Washington Territory; Dr.
C. B. Kennerly). Above, including the auriculars, umber-brown, with a
faint reddish cast; this tinge most apparent in a sharply defined band
across the throat. The continuity of the brown above is interrupted by a
scarcely observable collar round the nape of concealed whitish; this is
discernible only laterally, where there is also an inconspicuous black
space. Whole head above, and neck behind, with numerous small circular
spots of reddish-white; back, scapulars, and wings more sparsely and
more minutely marked with the same; the two or three lower feathers
of the secondary coverts have each a terminal, somewhat oval, larger
spot of pure white. Secondaries crossed by three (exposed) bands of
pure white, and narrowly tipped with the same; the bands formed by
semicircular spots on the outer webs. Primaries almost plain, but
showing faintly defined obsolete bands,—the third, fourth, and fifth
with two or three conspicuous white spots on outer webs, beyond their
emargination; primary coverts perfectly plain. Tail considerably darker
than the wings, and purer umber; crossed with seven narrow bands of
pure white, the last of which is terminal and not well defined,—these
bands are formed by transverse spots, not touching the shaft on either
web. Lores, sides of the forehead, sides of the throat (beneath the
cheeks and ear-coverts), and lower parts in general, pure white; the
ante-orbital white continuing back over the eye to its middle, but not
beyond it. Lateral portion of the neck and breast (confluent with the
gular belt), and sides, umber, like the back, but more numerously,
though more obsoletely, speckled, the spots rather larger and more
longitudinal on the sides. Breast, abdomen, anal region, and lower
tail-coverts with narrow longitudinal stripes of nearly pure black.
Jugulum immaculate. Tarsi mottled on the outside with brown. Lining
of the wing white; a transverse patch of blackish across the ends of
the under primary coverts, formed by the terminal deltoid spot of each
feather; a blackish stripe, formed of blended streaks (parallel with the
edge of the wing), running from the bend to the primary coverts. Under
surface of primaries dusky, with transverse spots of white anterior to
the emargination; these white spots on the longest quill are eight in
number. Axillars plain white.
Wing, 3.60; tail, 2.60; culmen, .45; tarsus, .60; middle toe, .55.
Wing-formula, 4, 3, 5–2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1.
♀ (36,874, Fort Whipple, near Prescott, Arizona, October 11, 1864; Dr.
Coues). In general appearance scarcely different from the male. Upper
surface more ashy, the specks of whitish less numerous, being confined
chiefly to the head; those on the scapulars, however, are large, though
very sparse. The middle wing-coverts have each a conspicuous roundish
white spot near the end of the outer web; the secondary coverts are
similarly marked, forming a band across the wing. The primaries and tail
are as in the male, except that the latter has eight, instead of seven,
white bands. The brown of the gular band extends upward over the throat
to the recurved feathers of the chin; the white dots in the brown of the
sides are considerably larger and (though very irregular) more circular
than in the male; the stripes on the abdomen, etc., are rather broader
and less deeply black than in the male. Wing, 4.00; tail, 2.80; culmen,
.48. (Wing-formula as in male.)
HAB. Pacific Province of North America, from Vancouver Island southward;
Arizona (Fort Whipple); Colorado (El Paso Co., AIKEN); Table-lands of
Mexico (Coll., G. N. LAWRENCE). Perhaps whole of the Western Province,
from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific.
One specimen in the collection (59,069) differs from those described
in much darker colors. The original label is lost, but it was probably
received from the northwest coast, as the darker, more reddish colors
bear about the same relation to the paler gray tints of the southern
birds that the dark northwest coast style of _Scops asio_ (var.
_kennicotti_) does to the true _asio_. The stripes beneath are nearly
pure black, the general tint above being a reddish sepia-brown. Wing,
3.65; tail, 2.70.
The _Glaucidium californicum_ requires comparison only with the _G.
passerinum_ of Europe, to which it is quite closely related, though
easily distinguishable by the characters pointed out in the diagnoses;
it is not at all like _gnoma_, nor indeed any other American species,
with which it has been confounded by nearly all ornithologists, even by
Cabanis, in his excellent paper above cited.
[Illustration: _Glaucidium californicum._]
I have seen only one Mexican specimen of this species, which is one in
Mr. Lawrence’s collection; the locality is not given, but it is probably
from the higher regions of the interior. It differs in no respect,
except in size, from North American examples; it measures, wing, 3.40;
tail, 2.60.
HABITS. This species, one of the smallest of our North American Owls,
was first obtained on the Columbia River by Dr. Townsend, near Fort
Vancouver; and subsequently, Dr. Merideth Gairdner procured several
others from the same locality, which were sent to the Edinburgh Museum.
Dr. Townsend’s specimen was said to have been taken on the wing at
midday.
Dr. Cooper met with a single specimen in Washington Territory early in
November, 1854. He observed it among a flock of Sparrows, that did not
seem at all disturbed by its presence. At first he mistook it for one of
these birds. Its stomach was found to contain only insects.
Dr. Suckley obtained two specimens at Puget Sound, where he found it
moderately abundant. It seemed to be diurnal in its habits, gliding
about in shady situations in pursuit of its prey. He saw one about
midday in a shady alder-swamp near Nisqually. It flitted noiselessly
past him several times, alighting near by, on a low branch, as if to
examine the intruder.
Near a small lake in the neighborhood of Fort Steilacoom, Dr. Suckley
frequently heard the voice of a diminutive Owl, which he supposed to
come from one of these birds, as this is the only small species of the
family he ever saw in that neighborhood. The notes were subdued and
clear, like the soft, low notes of a flute.
Dr. Newberry procured specimens of the Pigmy Owl on the Cascade
Mountains, in Oregon, where, however, it was not common. It occurs
also in California, as he saw several individuals in San Francisco
that had been obtained in that State, but he did not meet with any in
the Sacramento Valley. It was apparently confined to wooded districts,
which is probably the reason why it is not more frequent in the open
country of California. He adds that it flies about with great freedom
and activity by day, pursuing the small birds upon which it subsists,
apparently as little incommoded by the light as they are. It is,
however, doubtful whether it subsists, to any large extent, on small
birds. So far as observed it appears to feed almost exclusively on
insects, although the Owl taken by Townsend is said to have had the
entire body of a _Regulus_ in its stomach.
Dr. Cooper speaks of this Owl as not uncommon in the middle part of
California, though he did not meet with it in the southern part of the
State. It is probable that it is occasional in Southern California, as
it has been found in Mexico, where however, it is undoubtedly rare, as
Mr. Ridgway informs me that only a single specimen of this Owl, among a
hundred others from Mexico, has ever been seen by him.
Dr. Heermann met with this beautiful little species among the
mountainous districts of the mining regions of California, where it
was by no means rare. It was, however, seldom captured by him, and
he regarded its flying by night as the reason; but this view is not
corroborated by the observations of others. In 1852 he procured three
specimens on the borders of the Calaveras River, others were taken on
the Cosumnes River, and Mr. J. G. Bell, of New York, met with it on the
American River, thus demonstrating its wide and general distribution
throughout the State.
Mr. John K. Lord met with a pair on Vancouver Island. He characterizes
the bird as of shy and solitary habits, always hiding among the thick
foliage of the oak or pine, except when feeding. Early one spring,
while collecting specimens of the smaller migrant birds, he was favored
with unusual opportunities for watching their habits. The pair had made
their home in the hollow of an oak-tree that stood in an open patch of
gravelly ground near a small lake. The remains of an Indian lodge which
was close to the place enabled Mr. Lord to watch closely the habits
of this interesting pair. In the first morning twilight the Owls were
up and in motion, hungry after a whole night’s fasting. Their flight
was short, quick, and jerking, similar to that of the Sparrow Hawk,
but wholly unlike the muffled, noiseless flap of the Night Owls. Their
food was found to be entirely insectivorous, chiefly grasshoppers and
field-crickets, with an occasional beetle or butterfly. When in pursuit
of food, they perch on a small branch near the ground, and sit bolt
upright in an indolent drowsy manner until their quick eye detects an
insect, when they suddenly pounce upon it, hold it down with their
small but powerful claws, and with their sharp beaks tear it to pieces.
Only the soft abdominal parts are thus eaten. As soon as their hunger
is satiated they return to the tree, cuddling close together, and doze
away the greater part of the day. In the evening twilight the Owls again
come out of their hole and take erratic flights around their abode,
chasing each other up and down the plain, and performing all kinds of
inexplicable manœuvres. Occasionally they settle on the ground, but
never long at a time.
Mr. Lord never observed them to capture an insect while on the wing, and
a very small quantity of food seemed to supply their wants. As soon as
it became dark they retired to their nest, and there apparently passed
the night.
To this account Mr. Lord adds, that early in May two small eggs were
laid, white in color, round and very rough on their surface, a large
knot-hole in the branch of the tree having been selected as the
nesting-place. Nothing of any kind was used as a lining, the eggs being
deposited on the bare wood. The length of time occupied in incubation
Mr. Lord was not able to ascertain in consequence of the shortness of
his stay.
Glaucidium ferrugineum, KAUP.