File:Diseases and enemies of poultry (1897) (14564232390).jpg

Identifier: diseasesenemieso00pearrich (find matches)
Title: Diseases and enemies of poultry
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Pearson, Leonard, 1868-1909 Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-1926
Subjects: Poultry Diseases Mammals Birds
Publisher: (Harrisburg, Pa.) : C.M. Busch
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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:
feeds on the smaller mammals, suchas mice, lemmings and ground squirrels as well as insects ofvarious kinds, while in winter, when the snow is deep and itsfavorite food is hidden, it follows the large flocks of ptarmigansand subsists on them. Dr. Dall seldom found anything butmice in the crops of those he dissected in Alaska, and the fol-lowing from Dr. Coues mentions the same food: It feeds chieflyupon lield mice (Arvicolae) which swarm in the sphagnousvegetation of arctic lands; also upon small birds, grasshoppersand other insects. (Birds of the Northwest, 1S74. p. 312.) Mr. Henry Seebohm speaks of its food as follows: The prin-cipal food of the Hawk Owl is mice and lemmings, and thebird follows the migratory parties of the last named littlemanimal to prey upon them. From its indomitable spirit, how-ever, few birds of the forest are safe from its attack. In addi-tion to the smaller birds which it captures. Wheelwright men-lions the fact that he has seen the Hawk Owl strike down the
Text Appearing After Image:
7^-= AMERICAN HAWK OWL. 253 Siberian jay, and iias also disturbed it feeding on an old wil-low giouse. The same naturalist has also taken insects fromits^tomach.(Hist. British Birds, Vol. I, 1883, p. 184.) The species is tame and unsuspicious, and may be ap-proached easily without being alarmed; in fact, specimenshave been known to return to the same perch after being shotat two or three times. It is a courageous bird, and will de-fend its nest against all intruders. A male once dashed atDr. Dall and knocked off his hat as he was climbing to thenest; other similar accounts show that the courage displayedon this occasion was not an individual freak, but a commontrait of the species. Although the flight is swift and hawk-like, it has neverthe-less the soft, noiseless character common to the other owls.When starting from any high place, such as the top of a tree,it usually pitches down nearly to the ground, and flies off rap-idly above the tops of the bushes or high grass, abruotly risin

Note About Images