_Strix ferruginea_, MAX. Reis. Bras. I, 105, 1820; Trav. Bras. p. 88;
Beitr. III, 234.—TEMM. Pl. Col. 199.—LATH. Gen. Hist. I, 373. _Noctua
f._, STEPH. Zoöl. XIII, pt. ii, p. 69.—LESS. Man. Orn. I, 111; Tr.
Orn. 104.—CUV. Règ. An. (ed. 2), I, 346.—TSCHUDI, Av. Consp. Wiegm.
Archiv. 1844, 267; Faun. Per. pp. 19, 117. _Surnia f._, BONAP. Oss.
Cuv. Règ. An. p. 56; Isis, 1833, 1053. _Athene f._, GRAY, Gen. B. fol.
sp. 17; List B. Brit. Mus. p. 92.—BONAP. Consp. Av. p. 38.—STRICKL.
Orn. Syn. I, 162, 1855. _Glaucidium f._, KAUP, Mon. Strig. Cont. Orn.
1852, 104.—BURM. Thier. Bras. II, 141, 146.—CABAN. Ueb. Berl. Mus.
1869, 206.—COUES, Am. Nat. VI, 370 (Arizona).—IB. Key, 1872, 206. _?
Athene nana_ (KING), GRAY, Gen. 1844, pl. xii (normal plumage).
_a._ _Normal plumage._
SP. CHAR. _Adult_ (♂, 23,792, Mazatlan, Mexico; J. Xantus). Upper
surface umber-brown, more ashy anteriorly, posteriorly more brownish.
Head above with a few narrow longitudinal lines of yellowish-white,
anteriorly and laterally; a quite distinct collar of whitish spots
across the nape, the black lateral spaces rather obsolete; scapulars
with a few conspicuous oval spots of pure white; two lower feathers of
secondary coverts each with a similar spot on outer web. Secondaries
darker brown, crossed with five bands of dull rufous, the last not
terminal; outer webs of primaries with semicircular pale spots along
the margin, these nearly white beyond the sinuation of the feathers,
anteriorly brownish. Tail bright rufous, crossed with about seven
distinct bands of dark brown, these hardly equalling the rufous in
width, which is also terminal. Longitudinal stripes of the sides of the
same soft grayish-brown tint as the head; tarsi sparsely speckled with
the same on outer side. Wing-formula, 4, 5, 3–6–7, 2, 8; first shortest.
Wing, 3.70; tail, 2.20; culmen, .45; tarsus, .70; middle toe, .70.
_b._ _Rufescent plumage._
_Adult._ Upper surface continuously deep lateritious-rufous, all
the lighter markings almost obliterated. Bars on the tail scarcely
traceable. Black cervical transverse space conspicuous. Sides of the
breast and stripes of the sides duller rufous than the tint above; white
of ground-color with yellowish tinge; legs pale rufous, deepest on outer
side, immaculate. Gular collar blackish.
♂ (43,055, La Palma, Costa Rica, January 27, 1866; José Zeledon).
Wing-formula, 4=5, 3–6–2; first shortest. Wing, 3.80; tail, 2.40.
♀ (33,216, San José, Costa Rica; J. Carmiol). Wing-formula, 4, 3=5–6, 2;
first shortest. Wing, 4.15; tail, 2.90; tarsus, .80; middle toe, .75.
HAB. Whole of eastern South America, and Middle America (both coasts)
north into southern border of United States (Arizona, BENDIRE; probably
entire southern border).
The numerous specimens examined come from the Rio Grande of Texas
(across the whole breadth of Middle America) to Paraguay, everywhere the
same species, those from the extremes of its range showing scarcely any
difference.
A specimen of the ferruginous plumage, in the collection of the
Philadelphia Academy, is remarkable for the great intensity and
uniformity of the rufous; the entire plumage, in fact, being of this
color, a fine light tint of which replaces the white below. There is no
trace of bars on either wings or tail.
In the very large series before me I find in individuals every possible
shade between the two extremes described. Over fifty specimens have come
under my notice.
HABITS. This little Owl claims a place in our fauna on the strength of
several specimens taken in Southern Arizona by Captain Bendire. It is a
southern bird, found throughout the whole of Mexico, and ranges thence
though the whole of South America, except the Pacific coast, as far
south as Southern Brazil. In Mexico it is as abundant on the Pacific as
on the eastern coast, and is by far the most common Owl of its genus
found in that country.
Mr. E. C. Taylor states that he found this bird pretty common in
Trinidad, where it is said to fly about in the daytime, apparently
indifferent to the blazing tropical sun, and is much smaller than any
other species of Owl he met with.