Striped Owl (Asio clamator)

Striped Owl

[order] STRIGIFORMES | [family] Strigidae | [latin] Asio clamator | [authority] Vieillot, 1807 | [UK] Striped Owl | [FR] Hibou criard | [DE] Schreieule | [ES] Buho Griton | [NL] Gestreepte Ransuil

Subspecies

Monotypic species

Genus

Owls of the genus Pseudoscops have a superficial resemblance to several similarly-sized owls in the genus Asio, they have often has been placed in Asio or in the monotypic genus Rhinoptynx. The classification of the genus Pseudoscops is based on differences in cranial osteology between pseudoscops and several species of Asio.

Physical charateristics

This medium-sized owl has ear tufts that are well developed and projected to the sides or to the top (when disturbed) of the head. Its large ears are complex and asymmetrical, and extraordinarily sensitive. It has a strongly defined white blackish-rimmed facial disc, dark brown eyes and almost blackish bill. Its upperparts are yellowish-brown to tawny-ochre, striped with grimy brown. Below it is buff or white, with dark brown stripes. It has short wings and a long tail, the flight feathers and tail have alternated buff and grimy brown bands. Tarsi and toes are feathered. It has powerful talons for their body size.

Listen to the sound of Striped Owl

[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/STRIGIFORMES/Strigidae/sounds/Striped Owl.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto


wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 30 cm size max.: 38 cm
incubation min.: 31 days incubation max.: 34 days
fledging min.: 0 days fledging max.: 34 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 2  
      eggs max.: 4  

Range

Latin America : widespread

Habitat

This owl prefers open or semi-open grassland and savannas with scattered trees, small groves and bushes. It also occurs in open marshland with bushes, pasture and agricultural land, as well as in wooded suburban areas. Usually not present in dense forest, avoiding Amazon basin. From sea level up to approximately 1,600m.

Reproduction

Two to four eggs are laid in rudimentary nests found on the ground in long grass and dense bushes. The female alone incubates for approximately 33 days. Probably only one chick fledges successfully, though two fledglings were also observed.

Feeding habits

Striped owls hunt mostly during crepuscular and nocturnal hours. Small mammals and birds are its main prey. Mammalian prey includes spiny rats, rice rats, cavies, bats and opossums. Bird prey includes doves, grassquits, flycatchers, thrushes, house sparrows and tinamous. Other foods include large insects and a few reptiles. Pellets are irregularly shaped and mostly light grey. Its powerful talons including long claws indicate large average prey. Indeed, the Striped Owl may take prey approximately 0.7 times heavier than itself such as pigeons, cavies and white-eared opossums. Its hunting technique was described as a low flight over open landscape, with abrupt dives after prey. This owl also sits on a perch and watches prey ready to catch them.

Video Striped Owl

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZUDZtS8xQ

copyright: youtube


Conservation

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Striped owls are distributed from southern Mexico to Panama, and from northern South America to Uruguay and north Argentina, east of the Andes. They apparently do not occur in the Amazonian Basin and appear to be resident year-round. Inb Suriname a common, but rarely seen, species of the coastal plane, mainly the open woodlands near Zanderij
Striped Owl status Least Concern

Migration

Resident throughout range.

Distribution map

Striped Owl distribution range map

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