The Maghreb owl has a rounded head without ear tufts. It has a dark grey-brown plumage which does not change colour by morph. The owl bears a barred underside, and is heavily marked overall, with a darker grey topside. Wrapping around the top of its eyes are reduced and pale cap bands. Owls typically exhibit reversed sexual dimorphism, where females are larger than males. This is the case for Maghreb owls, with female mass recorded between 390 to 575 g (13.8 to 20.1 oz) and male mass at 325 to 470 g (11.5 to 16.6 oz). The lengths of various portions of the body, from head to tail, are: bill length, 28 to 31 mm (1.1 to 1.2 in); wing length, 272 to 305 mm (10.7 to 12.0 in); tarsus length, 54 to 61 mm (2.1 to 2.4 in); and tail length, 173 to 189 mm (6.8 to 7.4 in).[6][7]
Taxonomy
The Maghreb owl was previously recognized as the tawny owl subspecies Strix aluco mauritanica. The split from subspecies to species was made official in 2020 with Version 10.1 of the IOC World Birds List.[3] The tawny owl shares characteristics with the Maghreb owl that led to their grouping together. The division from the tawny owl was due to differences in distribution, highlighted by the glacial refugia hypothesis and geographic barriers.[4][5] It is further proved with differences in genetics, morphology and vocalizations.[4]
During the Pleistocene glaciation, shared ancestors of the Maghreb owl and tawny owl refuged to ice-free regions in Europe, northwestern Africa and Asia. Populations in these three regions represent three distinct lineages.[5] The Maghreb owl and the nearest tawny owl subspecies Strix aluco sylvatica, in southern Europe, have little to no genetic dispersal due to geographic isolation. The barrier causing isolation is the Strait of Gibraltar, dividing southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa by water. Since both species are sedentary, interactions between them in the wild are uncommon.[4]
Scientists also used DNA barcoding, a great method to determine genetic differences between the Maghreb owl and the European S. a. sylvatica. A genetic difference of 9% was remarked between the two distinct owls, which is enough to regard the Maghreb owl as its own species. Additionally, the Maghreb owl retains a grey-brown colour always, while S. a. sylvatica demonstrates red-brown, grey and intermediate differences through colour morphs. The Maghreb owl has a 20% wider wingspan than the southern European tawny owl subspecies.[4]
There is a slight difference in vocalization between Maghreb owl and tawny owl, as the Maghreb owl can audibly be differentiated by its deeper pitch.
Habitat and distribution
Habitat
Maghreb owls are sedentary and non-migratory, so they can remain in the same territory for many years. Habitat can be extremely varied for the Maghreb owl; their preferred forest habitat is mixed and deciduous forest, though they may inhabit coniferous forest and rocky country in more open areas. They also live near and in human-settled regions, such as large gardens, parks, open farmland, and cities, where there is mature growth near paths or open spaces.[6][9]
Distribution
This owl is endemic to northwestern Africa: in the northern regions of Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. It is resident in any of these countries due to its sedentary nature. Before it split from the tawny owl, the Maghreb owl was the only representative of the tawny owl in Africa.[4][6][7]
The Maghreb owl is quite active vocally, especially in autumn, winter and early spring. Their songs are particularly heard on calm nights with males advertising their territory. Compared to the tawny owl, the Maghreb owl’s song is notably deeper-pitched.[6]
Diet
The Maghreb owl, being an avian raptor, has a carnivorous diet. It feeds on a broad range of prey, including mammals, insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians.[11] A study of this owl in the wild revealed that nearly half its diet is comprised of mammals. The results from this examination of a Maghreb owl's diet in a Moroccan cave revealed that it preyed mostly on bent-wing bat s, European rhinoceros beetle s and black rat s, which made up the most significant biomass of the diet. The next most significant prey, in biomass, were barbary partridges and hares.[8]
The Maghreb owl diet is even more researched in human-influenced areas. In the Moroccan capital city of Rabat, a pair of owls were found to have eaten a diet of mainly human-associated mammals, largely rodents, and urban birds.[10] In less humanly-disturbed areas of Algeria, (in suburbs and rural regions), the diet still has an important biomass of synanthropic rodents. However, they comprise less of the total prey individuals hunted. Vertebrates were still reported to consist a large part of the diet, at over 85% in both suburbs and country combined.[9][11] In the gardens of the National Agronomical Institue of El Harrach, a suburb of Algiers, the diet was found to consist mainly of birds, followed by invertebrates, reptiles, mammals, and finally amphibians. Mammals and birds make up the majority of the biomass consumed here.[9][11] In rural Boukhalfa, Algeria, mammals are much more highly consumed than other prey. There is also a higher diversity of mammal species eaten, though rodents remain highly preyed on.[9]
Reproduction
Maghreb owl pair in the Tinmal Mosque, Morocco
Knowledge of Maghreb owl reproduction is still primitive, though they are thought to have similar reproduction to the tawny owl. The main variation would be how the differences in distribution impact reproduction, in particular nesting sites. These owls are monogamous and territorial. Young owls decide on an ideal territory and seek out a partner in autumn. Nesting sites are not constructed by the owl; they search for natural holes or crevices, nests of other birds, depressions or burrows in the ground, or human-occupied undisturbed areas, such as attics or barns. Laying begins in the late winter or early spring, where pairs raise one clutch of typically three to five eggs per year. The female incubates for a near month (28-29 days), while the male partner hunts for food. The young finally leave the nest after 29-35 days, and after around seven weeks they fly well enough to accompany their parents. After around three months the young owls become independent and will become sexually mature within a year.[6]
Conservation and status
The Maghreb owl, as its own species, is currently of IUCN conservation status “not evaluated”. Its recent split has not yet given enough time for evaluators to determine the conservation status of this species. There is, however, a Mediterranean scope of assessment for tawny owl, which includes the Maghreb owl. Under the last assessment in 2021, the Maghreb owl, as a subspecies of tawny owl, was considered “least concern”. This assessment lists population trends as stable. It defines potential threats to the owl as transportation and service corridors, and pollution.[6][2]
The large majority of owls (Strigiformes) are listed under CITES Appendix II, including the Maghreb owl. This means that the species eventually could become threatened if international trade is unregulated. Trade of the Maghreb owl is allowed but is regulated.[1]
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