After receiving a commission from the Council of Agriculture for a one-year period of research into the ecology of the Orchid Island horned owl, Liu Hsiao-ju, researcher at the Academia Sinica's Institute of Zoology, and I had no choice but to change our habits, becoming "night owls" much like the object of our study itself.

Because it only comes out at night, one who wishes to observe the habits of the horned owl must be wary of the fact that before even sighting it, it may have already had ample opportunity to make its own observations of oneself. Therefore, after our arrival on Orchid Island, our first order of business was to search out a number of hollow trees which would serve as likely nesting spots, and then begin our long, patient wait for the bird to show itself. Attempting to catch even a glimpse of the horned owl is not exactly an effortless task. An inexperienced bird-watcher may even encounter difficulty in spotting birds on the treetops in broad daylight; need I expound on the complication of searching through the forest for birds at night?

In the beginning we were not even aware of the dietary habits of the horned owl, so after giving it some thought we decided to try setting traps using white mice, but the owls would not take the bait. Our first few months were spent in this type of trial-and-error approach to making contact with the birds, but they persisted in passing us by in an air of cold indifference.

Later, as we came to be on more familiar terms with some of the local people, they would sometimes come to us with news of horned owl sightings. By March we were able to spot them with increasing frequency, this perhaps due in part to the fact that March through August is their mating season. The horned owl is known to hoot and call year-round, but during the mating season the call and response between male and female becomes especially vociferous. As soon as nesting is complete, the female lays two or three eggs, much the same size and color as a ping-pong ball. After an incubation period of approximately 25 days, the fledglings hatch out of the eggs; in another 32 days they leave the nest, spreading their wings and learning to fly.

The horned owl belongs in the general category of birds of prey. The shape of its body the same as that of other species of owl, and it is normally around twenty centimeters in length. Its feathers are of a brownish-yellow shade, while its most distinguishing characteristic its "ear feathers." Under normal circumstances, these feathers are gathered in as the bird sleeps, protruding suddenly when it is alarmed or startled. The large eyes and full, square face of the horned owl give it a somewhat daft appearance, quite unlike the fierce, awe-inspiring demeanor of the eagle. There have, however, been reports of its attacking human beings. Due to its small size, the horned owl feeds primarily on insects and invertebrate animals, with possibly an occasional taste of a small amphibious reptile.

According to our estimates, the population of horned owls on Orchid Island does not exceed 230. Its numbers have dropped sharply over the past ten years, owing to a number of factors, such as the recent economic development of the island and the resulting gradual reduction of the original forest area, the influx of newcomers looking for work or to hunt, and the outright purchasing of the horned owls by Taiwan-based bird merchants.

For some experiments, a period of one year is perhaps not even long enough to make the necessary initial mistakes. Fortunately, the Council of Agriculture, after reviewing the results of our work thus far, has already granted a further commission for Liu Hsiao-ju to continue this investigation into the ecology of the Orchid Island horned owl. Alas, the toils of the last twelve months have not been spent in vain!

[Picture Caption]

(left) Guess whooo?

(right) With wings spread, the horned owl has real style. This picture shows the hunter returning home with a grasshopper for the family.

The Orchid Island horned owl is a nocturnal animal, spending most of its days sleeping on branches.

（right） With wings spread, the horned owl has real style. This picture shows the hunter returning home with a grasshopper for the family.

The Orchid Island horned owl is a nocturnal animal, spending most of its days sleeping on branches.