Long-whiskered owlet

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Long-whiskered owlet
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Xenoglaux
O'Neill & Graves, GR, 1977
Species:
X. loweryi
Binomial name
Xenoglaux loweryi
O'Neill & Graves, 1977
Xenoglaux loweryi map.svg

The long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) is a Vulnerable species of owl in subfamily Surniinae of the "typical owls", family Strigidae. [3] [1] It is endemic to a small area in Amazonas and San Martín departments of northern Peru. [4]

Taxonomy and systematics

The long-whiskered owlet was described in a 1977 paper from three specimens collected in August 1976. Though the species somewhat resembles several other small owls, the authors assigned it to a new genus, Xenoglaux, a combination of the Greek words xenos ("strange") and glaux ("owl"). They applied the specific epithet loweryi in recognition of George H. Lowery, Jr., for "his influence upon us and upon neotropical ornithology". [5] A few more specimens were collected in succeeding years, and the bird was audio recorded after capture in a mist net in 2002. The first sighting in the wild was in 2007. [6] [7] [8]

The original authors proposed that the long-whiskered owlet was most closely related to the owls of genus Glaucidium and somewhat more distantly to the North American elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi), "but generically clearly separable from both of these taxa". [5] An extensive molecular phylogenetic study of the owls published in 2019 confirmed that the species' closest relatives are the elf owl and the collared owlet. At the time of that study the latter was named Glaucidium brodiei but the study also revealed that it did not belong in that genus. The study authors suggested restoring it to an earlier genus Taenioptynx and most taxonomic systems adopted the change. [9] [3] [10]

The long-whiskered owlet is the only member of its genus and has no subspecies. [3]

Description

The long-whiskered owlet is one of the world's smallest owls. It is 13 to 14 cm (5.1 to 5.5 in) long; three individuals weighed an average of 48 g (1.7 oz). [4] [11] Only the heavier Tamaulipas pygmy owl and the lighter elf owl are of a similar diminutive length. [12] The sexes are alike. Their face has a dull cinnamon brown ruff around the eyes and buffish white "eyebrows". The ruff's outer feathers are long and thin and project beyond the face, the feature which provides the species' English name. Their crown, nape, and upperparts are brown with tiny dull black bars. Their tail is dull brown. Their wing is mostly brown with some white spots; their primaries and primary coverts are black with variable amounts of pale brown and white. The lower part of their nape has large white spots and the sides of their neck have small whitish spots. Their throat is buffish white, their upper breast brown with tiny black bars, and the rest of their underparts brown with increasing amounts of white among the black which give a salt-and-pepper appearance. Their iris is amber, their bill greenish gray with a yellowish tip and pinkish gray cere, and their legs and feet pink. [5] [4] [11]

Distribution and habitat

The long-whiskered owlet is found in the Andes of northern Peru. All of the known locations are near the site where it was discovered, Abra Patricia (a pass on the border of Amazonas and San Martín departments) and further west in Amazonas at La Esperanza, in the Cordillera Colán, and in a few other sites. It inhabits humid montane forest and elfin forest. [4] [11] [6] The original authors described the area at Abra Patricia as fog-shrouded and heavy with moss, bromeliads, epiphytes, and other vegetation above a forest floor with a thick layer of humus. It contained dense thickets of Chusquea bamboo, palms, and tree ferns. [5] As of 2010 it was known at elevations between 1,900 and 2,400 m (6,200 and 7,900 ft); since then additional discoveries extended its upper limit to 2,600 m (8,500 ft). [4] [6] [8] Lane and Angulo suspect that the species may be more widespread than known because similar habitat is found elsewhere in the general region, and they suggest extensive surveys be made in new areas. [8]

Behavior

Movement

The long-whiskered owlet is a year-round resident throughout its range. [11]

Feeding

The long-whiskered owlet's diet and feeding behavior have not been described. [11] However, one specimen's stomach contained insect remains. [8]

Breeding

Nothing is definitely known about the long-whiskered owlet's breeding biology. [11] Specimens collected between late July and October showed no physiological signs of active breeding, so it is hypothesized that the species breeds between November and June. [8]

Vocalization

What is thought to be the long-whiskered owlet's primary song is "a single, slightly hoarse, hoot, rising then falling slightly in pitch: whoOOo...apparently given in a series of 4–6 notes/min." [4] "It may also give a rapid, low-pitched trill, which is rarely heard." [7]

Status

The IUCN originally in 1988 assessed the long-whiskered owlet as Near Threatened, then in 2000 as Endangered, and since 2020 as Vulnerable. It is known from fewer than 15 sites within a restricted range and has an estimated population of between 250 and 1000 mature individuals. The population is believed to be stable. The principle threat is clearance of its habitat for timber, agriculture, and mining though as of 2018 "[h]abitat loss within the range has however been negligible over the past ten years, not causing any population declines". [1] Lane and Angulo "suspect that the heart of the distribution of the Long-whiskered Owlet is likely to be protected...by the Aguaruna [indigenous community] and the sheer inhospitable geography" of the area. [8] Several private protected areas such as Copallin, Hierba Buena-Allpayacu, and Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva have records of the species. [1] The American Bird Conservancy and its Peruvian partner Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN) established the Abra Patricia Reserve in 2005 to protect the owlet and other threatened species of birds and mammals. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owl</span> Birds from the order Strigiformes

Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True owl</span> Family of birds

The true owls or typical owls are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owls have a cosmopolitan distribution and are found on every continent except Antarctica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flammulated owl</span> Species of owl

The flammulated owl is a small migratory North American owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Psiloscops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elf owl</span> Species of owl

The elf owl is a small grayish-brown owl about the size of a sparrow found in the Southwestern United States, central Mexico, and the Baja California peninsula. It has pale yellow eyes highlighted by thin white "eyebrows" and a gray bill with a horn-colored tip. The elf owl frequently inhabits woodpecker holes in saguaro cacti; it also nests in natural tree cavities. It is nocturnal and feeds primarily on insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy owl</span> Genus of birds

Pygmy owls are members of the genus Glaucidium. They belong to the typical owl family, Strigidae. The genus consists of 29 species distributed worldwide. These are mostly small owls, and some of the species are called "owlets". The genus includes nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular species. Birds in this genus mainly hunt large insects and other small prey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rican owl</span> Species of owl

The Puerto Rican owl or múcaro común, formerly known as the Puerto Rican screech owl, is a mid-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico though it formerly also inhabited the Virgin Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped owl</span> Species of owl

The striped owl is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy stripes. The underparts are pale tawny with dusky streaks. It is native to South America and parts of Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaican owl</span> Species of owl

The Jamaican owl is a medium-sized owl that is endemic to the island of Jamaica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian barred owlet</span> Species of owl

The Asian Barred Owlet also known as the Cuckoo owlet is a species of pygmy owl native to the forests and shrublands of mainland Southeast Asia to the foothills of the Himalayas of northern Pakistan. It is a smaller owl, measuring 22–25 cm (8.7–9.8 in) making it one of the larger pygmy owls. They are primarily insectivorous but will eat lizards, small rodents and birds as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloud-forest pygmy owl</span> Species of owl

The cloud-forest pygmy owl is a short, muscular, small-sized species of owl found throughout the Andes of western Colombia and north-western Ecuador, being confined to cloud forests between 900–2000 m a.s.l. Below this altitudinal range the Central American pygmy owl occurs; above it, the Andean pygmy owl occurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colima pygmy owl</span> Species of owl

The Colima pygmy owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the western part of Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subtropical pygmy owl</span> Species of owl

The subtropical pygmy owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamaulipas pygmy owl</span> Species of owl

The Tamaulipas pygmy owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Mexico. This is one of the smallest owls in the world, with a mean length of 13.5 cm (5.3 in). However, at 53 g (1.9 oz), it is slightly heavier than the long-whiskered owlet and the elf owl. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<i>Ketupa</i> Genus of birds

Ketupa is a genus of owls in the family Strigidae. The genus formerly contained just three species, the fish owls but based on the results from a genetic study published in 2020, the generic boundaries were altered. The genus now contains twelve species, nine of which were formerly placed in the genus Bubo.

The Palau scops owl or Palau owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. Palau scops owls are dark reddish-brown with small white dots scattered across their feathers. They are endemic to the Palau Islands in the western Pacific, where they are found in woodland and lagoon trees, ravines and mangrove swamps. Palau owls nest in hollows of trees, live in groups and are territorial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pernambuco pygmy owl</span> Species of owl

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George Hines Lowery Jr. was an American ornithologist and professor of zoology at Louisiana State University, who pioneered a technique for studying nocturnal bird migration by large-scale observation through telescopes across the United States of America of flocks of birds as they flew at night in front of the face of the moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jalca tapaculo</span> Species of bird

The jalca tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is endemic to Peru.

<i>Taenioptynx</i> Genus of birds

Taenioptynx is a genus of typical owls, or true owls, in the family Strigidae, that inhabits Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surniinae</span> Subfamily of owls

Surniinae is a subfamily of the typical owls (Strigidae). First described by French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838. The type genus is Surnia. Includes ten genera.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 BirdLife International (2020). "Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22689320A180768478. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22689320A180768478.en . Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2024). "Owls". IOC World Bird List. v 14.1. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schulenberg, T.S., D.F. Stotz, D.F. Lane, J.P. O’Neill, and T.A. Parker III. 2010. Birds of Peru. Revised and updated edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey plate 80
  5. 1 2 3 4 O'Neill, John P.; Graves, Gary R. (1977). "A new genus and species of owl (Aves: Strigidae) from Peru" (PDF). The Auk. 94 (3): 409–416. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi". BirdLife International. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Long-whiskered Owlet". ABC Bird Library. American Bird Conservancy. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lane, Daniel F.; Angulo, Fernado (2018). "The distribution, natural history, and status of the Long-whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi)". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 130 (3): 650–657.
  9. ↑ Salter, J.F.; Oliveros, C.H.; Hosner, P.A.; Manthey, J.D.; Robbins, M.B.; Moyle, R.G.; Brumfield, R.T.; Faircloth, B.C. (2019). "Extensive paraphyly in the typical owl family (Strigidae)". The Auk. 137 (ukz070). doi: 10.1093/auk/ukz070 . hdl: 2346/93048 .
  10. ↑ Clements, J. F., P.C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved October 28, 2023
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schulenberg, T. S. and M. G. Harvey (2020). Long-whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lowowl1.01 retrieved April 10, 2024
  12. ↑ Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World by Claus Konig, Friedhelm Welck & Jan-Hendrik Becking. Yale University Press (1999), ISBN   978-0-300-07920-3.
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