SURNIA.
Of Hawk-like habits; mostly diurnal ; tail long and graduated; tarsus and toes feathered ; no ear tufts; nest in holes in trees.
Surnia ulula ulula (L.). HANK OwL. Ger. Sperbereule ; Swed. H okuggl a.
j? Above umber (blackish on hind neck), spotted on crown, and irregularly barred on upper parts with white ; scapulars very white ; quills with white spots on margins of both webs ; tail with 7 or 8 white bars ; beneath white barred with dark brown ; disc dull white, chin dark brown ; a black band behind ear coverts extending down sides of neck ; legs and toes thickly feathered. Bill light yellow. Soles yellow. Iris bright
yellow. Wing 231-243 (H.). Tarsus 20-30, Bill Resident.—Norway, N. Sweden, Lapland, Finland, and Russia from about 55° to N. In winter moves south as far as S. Urals and E. Germany ; occasionally to Austria and Hungary ; rare in W. Europe, has occurred several times in Britain.
S. ulula pallasi Buturlin. Brown colour paler throughout. A Siberian race ; occurs at Orenburg in winter.
S. ulula caparoch (Midler). Bars on underparts broader and often very rufous, crown feathers with much less white.
An American form ; has occurred four times in Britain.