Stygian Owl
The Stygian Owl is a large, nocturnal raptor cloaked in deep sooty-brown plumage that gives it an almost mythical aura. Both sexes look alike: a dusky black face framed by a pale border, a whitish …
Birds
Barred Owl
The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is a medium-large, stocky forest owl with a rounded head, dark brown eyes, and no ear tufts. Its plumage is richly patterned in shades of brown and cream: broad horizontal …
Puerto Rican Owl
The Puerto Rican Owl (Gymnasio nudipes), also known as the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl or locally the múcaro, is a mid-sized typical owl native to Puerto Rico. It measures about 20–25 cm (8–10 in) in length …
Mottled Owl
The Mottled Owl (Strix virgata, formerly Ciccaba virgata) is a medium-sized, earless owl native to Latin America. Its plumage is a rich tapestry of browns and creams: a mottled dark-brown crown and back contrast with …
Flammulated Owl
The Flammulated Owl is a petite, russet-gray owl scarcely larger than a juice can. Its plumage is finely mottled gray and reddish (“flammulated” means “flame-like” markings on the wings and shoulders), which provides perfect camouflage …
Northern Pygmy owl
The Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum) is a tiny but fierce daytime predator of western North American forests. Adults measure only about 15–17 cm in length and weigh roughly 60–70 g, making them about the size of …
Long eared Owl
The long-eared owl (Asio otus) is a slender, medium-sized owl renowned for its tall “ear” tufts, camouflaged plumage, and bright orange facial disks. Adults measure roughly 31–40 cm in length (head-to-tail) with a wingspan of …
Western Screech owl
One observer described the first glimpse of a Western Screech-Owl as a “stocky, furry creature” peering with bright yellow eyes at a birdbath in the twilight. This captures the owl’s unique appearance: a compact, “round-headed” …
Spotted Owl
The spotted owl is a medium-sized forest owl with a soulful, dark-eyed gaze and richly mottled plumage. It has a rounded head (no ear tufts) and a broad, heart-shaped facial disk that funnels sound to …
Short eared Owl
Often seen quartering over marshes and grasslands at dusk like a ghost in flight, the Short-eared Owl has a distinctive pale appearance. Scientific names aside, this widely distributed owl is one of the most fascinating …