Alternative name: Cuban Screech-Owl
- Margarobyas lawrencii
Identification
Underside is pale with dark shaft streaks -- these may have drop-like shape. Upperside including back of head and crown darker brown, on adult with white spots especially on wings. There are no feather tufts that can be raised in alarm. Tail may be plain or more often barred. Legs lack feathering, eyes brown, bill yellowish.
Distribution
Cuba and Isle of Pines.
Taxonomy
Bare-legged Owl has previously been assigned to the genus Otus; later it was placed in the genus Gymnoglaux but this name is not available.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are recognized[1] (but some sources lump them to one):
- M. l. exsul :
- Western Cuba and Isle of Pines
- M. l. lawrencii:
- Central and eastern Cuba
Habitat
Wooded areas.
Behaviour
Nocturnal, feeding mainly on insects and other arthropods, more rarely vertebrates up to small birds; much of the food seeking happens on the ground. It stays during the day in caves, crevices, cavities, or in dense leaf-cover.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- König, C. and F. Weick 2008. Owls of the World, second edition. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2
- Raffaele et al. 1998. Birds of the West Indies. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0713649054
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bare-legged Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 5 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bare-legged_Owl
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
