From Opus

Photo by Mark Harper
Photo taken: Jorupe, Ecuador

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Includes: Short-browed Owl

[edit] Identification

Length 46 cm; weight 850 g

• Brown upperparts, head and upper breast
• White facial markings
• Buff underparts
• Yellow eyes
• Pale nill
  

Juvenile: completely white, apart from a chocolate brown facial disc

[edit] Distribution

It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad south to W Ecuador, Bolivia and north-western Argentina.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are six subspecies:

• P. p. saturata:

• Southern Mexico (Veracruz and Oaxaca) to western Panama (Chiriquí)

Juvenile
Photo by {{{2}}}
AdeK University, Uitvlucht (Paramaribo), Suriname, June 2007

• P. p. chapmani:

• Eastern Costa Rica and Panama to Colombia, western Ecuador and north-western Peru

• P. p. perspicillata:

• Eastern Colombia to Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil and northern Bolivia

• P. p. trinitatis:

• Trinidad

• P. p. boliviana:

• Southern Bolivia and northern Argentina

• P. p. pulsatrix:

• Paraguay to eastern Brazil (Bahia) and northerne Argentina (Misiones)

Pulsatrix is sometimes considered a full species, Short-browed Owl.

[edit] Habitat

Dense forest, but hunts in the semi-open and savanna with large trees, also in clearings and along forest edges.

[edit] Behaviour

This is nocturnal species of mature forests.

[edit] Breeding

The nest is an unlined tree cavity, laying two white eggs.

[edit] Diet

It preys on mammals and large insects, and will also take birds, including smaller owls.

[edit] Vocalisation

The call is a deep hooting BOO Boo boo boo boo becoming softer and faster.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.4.xls/view.
2. König, C. and F. Weick 2008. Owls of the World, second edition. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2
3. Owl Pictures.com

• List of references

[edit] External Links