Akun Eagle-Owl (Bubo leucostictus)
[order] STRIGIFORMES | [family] Strigidae | [latin] Bubo leucostictus | [authority] Hartlaub, 1855 | [UK] Akun Eagle-Owl | [FR] Grand duc tachete | [DE] Schwachschnabel-Uhu | [ES] Buho de Akun | [NL] Akoen-oehoe
Subspecies
Genus
Members of the genus Bubo are the largest of the owls. Heavily built with powerful talons they are recognisable by their size, their prominent ear-tufts, and their eyes that vary in colour from yellow to brown but are frequently vivid orange. The genus, including the Asian fish owls of the genus Ketupa – now believed to be part of Bubo – comprises of 20 species ranging Eurasia, Indonesia, Africa and the Americas. DNA evidence suggests that the Snowy Owls of Nyctea and the fish owls of Scotopelia are also candidates for inclusion in this genus.
Physical charateristics
One of the smaller eagle-owl species, the Akun eagle-owl’s head and upperparts are predominantly dark to reddish-brown, with a patterning of pale, dusky brown bars on the wings and back, and white markings around the shoulders. The head is distinctively crowned with two large ear tufts, which are dark brown with white spots, while the large, round eyes are pale yellow. The upper breast is light reddish-brown and marked with dark bars, while the rest of the underparts are white, with reddish-brown vermiculations and large blackish spots. In contrast to the adult, the juvenile Akun eagle-owl has a whitish head and body, with reddish-brown barring and brown wings and tail. Although the Akun eagle-owl’s usual call is a low, accelerating, cluck-like rattle, when alarmed it produces an unusual quacking sound
Listen to the sound of Akun Eagle-Owl
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-cantoRange
Africa : Central, West. The Akun eagle-owl has a patchy range that extends throughout many of the West African countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea, from Guinea, west to Cameroon and south to Angola. Its range also includes the Central African Republic and northern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Habitat
The Akun eagle-owl occupies lowland primary and secondary rainforest, predominantly around forest edges and clearings, but also along the borders of rivers and on forested river islands
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