Spectacled Owl
| Spectacled Owl | |
|---|---|
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| In the rainforest of Costa Rica | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Pulsatrix |
| Species: | P. perspicillata |
| Binomial name | |
| Pulsatrix perspicillata (Latham, 1790) |
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The Spectacled Owl, Pulsatrix perspicillata, is a large tropical owl. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northwestern Argentina.[1] There are six subspecies.[2]
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[edit] Distribution
The Spectacled Owl is found in Mexico, Central America (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama), Trinidad and Tobago, and South America (Colombia; Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina).[1]
[edit] Description
The Spectacled Owl is 46 cm (18 in.) long and weighs 850 g (1.9 lbs). It is unmistakable with brown upperparts, head and upper breast, white facial markings and buff underparts. The eyes are yellow and the beak is pale. The juvenile is even more distinctive than the adult, being completely white apart from a chocolate brown facial disc.
[edit] Behaviour
The Spectacled Owl is a nocturnal species of mature forests. It nests in an unlined tree cavity, laying two white eggs. It preys on mammals, even the much larger three-toed sloth,[3] large insects, and birds, including smaller owls. The call is a deep hooting BOO Boo boo boo boo becoming softer and faster.
[edit] Subspecies
The following subspecies are currently recognized:[2]
- Pulsatrix perspicillata boliviana L. Kelso, 1933
- Pulsatrix perspicillata chapmani Griscom, 1932
- Pulsatrix perspicillata perspicillata (Latham, 1790)
- Pulsatrix perspicillata pulsatrix (Wied-Neuwied, 1820)
- Pulsatrix perspicillata saturata Ridgway, 1914
- Pulsatrix perspicillata trinitatis Bangs & T. E. Penard, 1918
[edit] References
- ^ a b c BirdLife International (2009). "Pulsatrix perspicillata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/143260. Retrieved 31 October 2011..
- ^ a b "Pulsatrix perspicillata". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=555442. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
- ^ "Wild sloth killed by small spectacled owl in Panama". BBC News.
- A guide to the birds of Costa Rica by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
- Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
- ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd edition ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
[edit] External links
- Stamps (for Belize, Honduras, Paraguay, and Suriname); Stamp-photo
- Spectacled Owl photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res
- Spectacled Owl videos on the Internet Bird Collection
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Close-up of head
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Parents and a chick at London Zoo, England
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The Spectacled Owl consuming prey
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Two adults and one juvenile in captivity
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Pulsatrix
- Birds of South America
- Birds of Central America
- Birds of the Amazon Basin
- Birds of the Guianas
- Birds of Marajó Island
- Birds of the Caatinga
- Birds of the Cerrado
- Birds of the Pantanal
- Birds of Guyana
- Birds of French Guiana
- Birds of Suriname
- Birds of Belize
- Birds of Guatemala
- Birds of Honduras
- Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
- Native birds of Southern Mexico
