- Bubo magellanicus
Identification
45 cm
Brownish grey with narrow dark barring on paler underparts. It occurs in three color morphs, pale, dark, with some intermediate birds, and their main differences from regular Great Horned Owl are smaller size and different voice.
- Orange eyes
Distribution
South America: Central Peru to western Bolivia, Chile, western Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, and Cape Horn
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
This species was formerly included in Great Horned Owl.
Habitat
Open to semi-open country for hunting and shrub, forest edge, cliffs etc. for roosting and nesting. Avoids the most closed forest.
Behaviour
It hunts mainly at dusk and dawn. Diet includes small rodents and other medium sized prey.
Vocalisation
Several different types described, with territorial song described as two hoots (second one louder) followed by a "a low guttural purring bu-hóohworrrr". If given as a duet, the female will be the higher pitches voice.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2) DRAFT. Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Jaramillo, A. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton & Oxford: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691117409
- Roesler, I. (2022). Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.grhowl2.01
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Lesser Horned Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Lesser_Horned_Owl
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
