- Lophostrix cristata
Identification
38–43 cm (15-17 in); Polymorphic
Two color morphs in most subspecies, a dark chocolate brown and a lighter rufous brown morph.
Variations
Subspecies stricklandi differs in having yellow eyes and being generally light greyish-brown.
Distribution
Central and South America: found from Mexico to Colombia and Peru, and disjointly in the Amazon basin.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- L. c. stricklandi: has been suspected of being a full species but data is lacking[3].
- L. c. wedeli:
- Eastern Panama to north-eastern Colombia and north-western Venezuela
- L. c. cristata:
A fourth subspecies, amazonica is generally considered to be invalid[2].
Habitat
Lowland humid rainforest, tall second growth, gallery woodland.
Behaviour
Nocturnal.
Diet
Their diet consists mostly of caterpillar and beetles, with the addition of some small vertebrates on occasion.
Breeding
There is little known, they nest in a tree hole.
Vocalisation
Call: a deep croak repeated every 5-10 seconds.
stricklandi: has a shorter gurrr or ohrrr; other two races have a little longer g,g,g,g,ggrrrrrrr.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- König et al, Owls of the world
- Owling.com
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Crested Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Crested_Owl
