Bubo ascalaphus (1 Viewer)

Is Desert Owl Bubo ascalaphus defineively split form Eagle Owl Bubo bubo?? Thank you.

JOSE JAVIER said:

Is Desert Owl Bubo ascalaphus defineively split form Eagle Owl Bubo bubo?? Thank you.

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I believe at least most authorities have split it.

I think the grounds for this split are still quite weak, and would like to see some other basis then the book by König et al. The status of interpositus and benghalensis with regard to bubo should be resolved too.

Xenospiza said:

I think the grounds for this split are still quite weak, and would like to see some other basis then the book by König et al. The status of interpositus and benghalensis with regard to bubo should be resolved too.

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Other than König et al 1999, B. ascalaphus is split by Monroe & Sibley 1993, Dickinson 2003 (Howard & Moore), Gill & Wright (IOC) 2006, DBA/CSNA, & Penhallurick (Bird Data Project).

B. bengalensis is split by Monroe & Sibley 1993, König et al 1999, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, & Penhallurick.

Richard Klim said:

Other than König et al 1999, B. ascalaphus is split by Monroe & Sibley 1993, Dickinson 2003 (Howard & Moore), Gill & Wright (IOC) 2006, DBA/CSNA, & Penhallurick (Bird Data Project).

B. bengalensis is split by Monroe & Sibley 1993, König et al 1999, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, & Penhallurick.

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Clements 2000 also has bubo, ascalaphus and bengalensis as 3 species

Larry Wheatland said:

Clements 2000 also has bubo, ascalaphus and bengalensis as 3 species

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...and B. ascalaphus also split by ABC (African Bird Club).

Just out of interest - can somebody enlighten me about presence/lack of hybrid zone?

jurek said:

Just out of interest - can somebody enlighten me about presence/lack of hybrid zone?

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König et al 1999:
"B. ascalaphus locally sympatric with race interpositus of Eurasian Eagle Owl."
"The sympatry of race hispanus of Eurasian Eagle Owl with Pharaoh Eagle Owl in the Algerian Atlas also argues in favour of their being different species; whether hispanus is yet extinct there is not known, but some time ago the two species could be encountered alongside each other on the southern slope of the Atlas."

But, Shirihai 1996:
"In northern Negev, Judean Desert and southern Jordan River Valley, an intergrade population between interpositus and ascalaphus exists which was previously considered a separate subspecies B. b. aharaonii Rothschild and Hartert, 1912, but is now included in interpositus. Sibley & Monroe (1990) split ascalaphus as Pharaoh Eagle Owl, but, as it intergrades with interpositus and there is a zone of intermediates, we here follow Cramp (1985) in treating ascalaphus as conspecific with B. bubo; in addition to this, the two races interbreed freely in captivity and have done so on several occasions in Israeli zoos, where their offspring also interbreed freely with each other as well as with both 'pure' races. Obviously the two races are very closely related, and certainly do not warrant being accorded the status of two separate full species."