The mottled owl (Strix virgata) is a medium-sized owl found in Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina. The head and back are mottled brown and the underparts whitish, with vertical bars on the chest and throat. The eyes are dark and the head is round and they do not have ear tufts. They are territorial and found in dry forests and jungles at altitudes of up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level.
The mottled owl was described by the American ornithologist John Cassin in 1849 and given the binomial nameSyrnium virgatum.[3][4] In 1999, Wink and Heidrich transferred it to the genusStrix, but this is still contested by some authorities.[5]
Descriptionedit
Chan Chich Lodge area - Belize
The mottled owl is a medium-sized owl with adults reaching 280 to 355 mm (11.0 to 14.0 in) in length. Females are considerably larger than males; the mottled owl shows the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism of any species of owl.[6] The crown, nape and back are mottled in several shades of darkish brown, the facial disc is pale brown and the throat, breast and belly are off-white with distinctive vertical brown streaks. The large eyes are brown, the beak is greyish-yellow or greyish-blue, and the legs and feet are greyish-yellow. There is a darker form of the bird with a buff breast and belly. Mottled owls produce a range of calls which include a hoot used in maintaining territory boundaries, and various whistles, screeches and hisses.[6][7]
Distribution and habitatedit
The mottled owl is native to Central and South America. Its range extends from Mexico south to Argentina and Brazil and it is found at elevations up to about 2,500 m (8,200 ft). It inhabits a variety of wooded habitats including rainforest, woodland verges, dry thorn forest, pine/oak woodland and plantations and also open countryside with scattered trees. In some parts of its range it is common and it is often found close to human habitations.[6] In 1983, a specimen was retrieved on the American side of the Rio Grande, thus establishing a first record for the United States. Forty years later, a mottled owl was photographed in Starr County, Texas, and there is also a 2006 record from the same state.[8][9]
Behaviouredit
The mottled owl is nocturnal and spends the day in dense vegetation where it may be mobbed by other birds. Its large eyes are adapted for sight at low levels of light, and its hearing is also acute. It is a predator and at night often perches on a branch beside a glade or at the edge of woodland on the lookout for prey. When it detects a small moving object, it swoops down from its perch on silent wings and pounces on its target, which may be a small mammal, a bird, reptile or amphibian or a large beetle, grasshopper or other insect/arthropod.[6][10] It is known to prey on bats.[11]
The mottled owl breeds between February and May in Colombia and in September to November in Argentina. It usually nests in a hole in a tree but may also choose an empty nest built by another species. One or usually two white eggs are laid and incubated by the female and both parents care for the young.[7]
Statusedit
The mottled owl has a very wide range and the number of individual birds has been estimated to be somewhere between five hundred thousand and five million. It is listed by the IUCN as being of "Least Concern" on the basis that, though its numbers may be decreasing slightly, they are not doing so at such a rate as would justify putting the bird in a more vulnerable category.[1]
^Cassin, John (1849). "Species of owls, presumed to be undescribed, specimens of which are in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 4: 121–125 [124]. The title page is dated 1848 but the volume was not published until the following year.
^Peters, James Lee, ed. (1940). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 154.
^Remsen, J.V. Jr.; Cadena, C.D.; Jaramillo, A.; Nores, M.; Pacheco, J.F.; Pérez-Emán, J.; Robbins, M.B.; Stiles, F.G.; Stotz, D.F.; Zimmer, K.J. "A classification of the bird species of South America". Version: 23 July 2014. South American Classification Committee, American Ornithologists' Union.
^ abcdFetter, Jess (2004). "Strix virgata: Mottled Owl". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
^ abKönig, Claus; Becking, Jan-Hendrik (2009). Owls of the World. A. C. Black. pp. 366–368. ISBN9781408108840.
Mottled owl photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Mottled owl species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Interactive range map of Ciccaba virgata at IUCN Red List maps
May 02, 2024
mottled, mottled, strix, virgata, medium, sized, found, central, south, america, from, mexico, brazil, argentina, head, back, mottled, brown, underparts, whitish, with, vertical, bars, chest, throat, eyes, dark, head, round, they, have, tufts, they, territoria. The mottled owl Strix virgata is a medium sized owl found in Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina The head and back are mottled brown and the underparts whitish with vertical bars on the chest and throat The eyes are dark and the head is round and they do not have ear tufts They are territorial and found in dry forests and jungles at altitudes of up to 2 500 m 8 200 ft above sea level Mottled owl Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Strigiformes Family Strigidae Genus Strix Species S virgata Binomial name Strix virgata Cassin 1849 Synonyms Ciccaba virgata Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour 5 Status 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editThe mottled owl was described by the American ornithologist John Cassin in 1849 and given the binomial name Syrnium virgatum 3 4 In 1999 Wink and Heidrich transferred it to the genus Strix but this is still contested by some authorities 5 Description edit nbsp Chan Chich Lodge area Belize The mottled owl is a medium sized owl with adults reaching 280 to 355 mm 11 0 to 14 0 in in length Females are considerably larger than males the mottled owl shows the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism of any species of owl 6 The crown nape and back are mottled in several shades of darkish brown the facial disc is pale brown and the throat breast and belly are off white with distinctive vertical brown streaks The large eyes are brown the beak is greyish yellow or greyish blue and the legs and feet are greyish yellow There is a darker form of the bird with a buff breast and belly Mottled owls produce a range of calls which include a hoot used in maintaining territory boundaries and various whistles screeches and hisses 6 7 Distribution and habitat editThe mottled owl is native to Central and South America Its range extends from Mexico south to Argentina and Brazil and it is found at elevations up to about 2 500 m 8 200 ft It inhabits a variety of wooded habitats including rainforest woodland verges dry thorn forest pine oak woodland and plantations and also open countryside with scattered trees In some parts of its range it is common and it is often found close to human habitations 6 In 1983 a specimen was retrieved on the American side of the Rio Grande thus establishing a first record for the United States Forty years later a mottled owl was photographed in Starr County Texas and there is also a 2006 record from the same state 8 9 Behaviour editThe mottled owl is nocturnal and spends the day in dense vegetation where it may be mobbed by other birds Its large eyes are adapted for sight at low levels of light and its hearing is also acute It is a predator and at night often perches on a branch beside a glade or at the edge of woodland on the lookout for prey When it detects a small moving object it swoops down from its perch on silent wings and pounces on its target which may be a small mammal a bird reptile or amphibian or a large beetle grasshopper or other insect arthropod 6 10 It is known to prey on bats 11 The mottled owl breeds between February and May in Colombia and in September to November in Argentina It usually nests in a hole in a tree but may also choose an empty nest built by another species One or usually two white eggs are laid and incubated by the female and both parents care for the young 7 Status editThe mottled owl has a very wide range and the number of individual birds has been estimated to be somewhere between five hundred thousand and five million It is listed by the IUCN as being of Least Concern on the basis that though its numbers may be decreasing slightly they are not doing so at such a rate as would justify putting the bird in a more vulnerable category 1 References edit a b BirdLife International 2022 Ciccaba virgata IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022 e T22689122A167859687 Retrieved 2 January 2023 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Cassin John 1849 Species of owls presumed to be undescribed specimens of which are in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 4 121 125 124 The title page is dated 1848 but the volume was not published until the following year Peters James Lee ed 1940 Check list of Birds of the World Vol 4 Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press p 154 Remsen J V Jr Cadena C D Jaramillo A Nores M Pacheco J F Perez Eman J Robbins M B Stiles F G Stotz D F Zimmer K J A classification of the bird species of South America Version 23 July 2014 South American Classification Committee American Ornithologists Union a b c d Fetter Jess 2004 Strix virgata Mottled Owl Animal Diversity Web University of Michigan Retrieved 13 October 2013 a b Konig Claus Becking Jan Hendrik 2009 Owls of the World A C Black pp 366 368 ISBN 9781408108840 https ebird org checklist S154949141 https www aba org rare bird alert december 1 2023 Proudfoot Glenn 2011 Owls of the World 2nd ed Claus Konig and Friedhelm Weick 2009 Yale University Press New Haven Connecticut Brown Tom W June 2020 A bat Chiroptera as prey of the Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata in Belize Cotinga 42 58 60 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strix virgata nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Ciccaba virgata Mottled Owl photo at owlpages com Mottled owl media Internet Bird Collection Mottled owl photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Mottled owl species account at Neotropical Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Interactive range map of Ciccaba virgata at IUCN Red List maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mottled owl amp oldid 1187971804, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
