Buff-fronted Owl
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| Buff-fronted Owl | ||||||||||||||
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| Aegolius harrisii Cassin, 1849 |
The Buff-fronted Owl, Aegolius harrisii, is a small owl. It is a resident breeder in the highlands of South America from Colombia south and east to Peru, northern Argentina and northwest Paraguay. The range is effectively separated into two parts by the unsuitable habitat of the Amazon basin.
This nocturnal bird breeds in open mountain forests, laying its eggs in a tree hole. It takes rodents and other small mammals as its main prey, but will also feed on birds and insects.
The Buff-fronted Owl is a small, dumpy, short-tailed and broad-winged owl, 23 cm long and weighing 130 g. It is black above with white flecking on the wings. The underparts are unstreaked buff and the tail is brown with two spotted white bars. The head is large, with yellow eyes and a black-edged buff facial disc. The flight is strong and direct.
The binomial commemorates the American ornithologist Edward Harris.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Aegolius harrisii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Hilty Birds of Venezuela ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
