| Rufous-legged owl | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult, Ñuble forest, Chile | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Strix |
| Species: | S. rufipes |
| Binomial name | |
| Strix rufipes King, 1827 | |
 | |
The rufous-legged owl (Strix rufipes) is a medium-sized owl. It is found in Argentina and Chile. [3]
The rufous-legged owl has two subspecies, the nominate Strix rufipes rufipes and S. r. sanborni. The latter is known from a single immature specimen. At one time what is now treated as the Chaco owl (Strix chacoensis) was also considered to be a subspecies of rufous-legged owl, but the two differ in plumage, morphology, and voice. [3] [4]
The rufous-legged owl is compact, with a round head and no ear tufts. It is 33 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) long and weighs about 350 g (12 oz); females are larger than males. Adults have a rusty facial disk, white "brows" over dark brown eyes, and white lores. Its upperparts are dark reddish brown with narrow orange-buff bars and spots. The tail is also reddish brown, with buff bars. The throat is white, most of the underparts are buffy white with many black bars, and the vent area is orange-buff. The legs and toes are covered with buffy feathers. The chick is downy off-white. The juvenile is a warm buff with faint dusky brown barring and a tawny face. [4]
The rufous-legged owl is found in Chile from approximately Valparaíso Province and in far western Argentina from approximately Mendoza Province south to the tip of Tierra del Fuego. The one specimen of S. r. sanborni was taken on Chiloé Island off the coast of south-central Chile. The species primarily inhabits moist old-growth forest with a closed canopy and a dense understory. It is also found in older secondary forest and semi-open forest. In elevation it ranges from sea level to at least 2,000 m (6,600 ft). [4]
The rufous-legged owl is nocturnal and usually hunts from a perch. Its primary prey is small arboreal mammals. Birds, amphibians, and insects are also taken but account for only a small percentage of its diet. [4]
The rufous-legged owl's breeding phenology is poorly known. It probably lays eggs beginning in October; the clutch size is one to three eggs. It usually nests in a tree cavity, either natural or excavated by a woodpecker. It occasionally will use an old raptor nest and is thought to possibly nest on the ground as well. [4]
The rufous-legged owl's vocalizations are "a variety of grunting, hooting, and cackling noises." [4]
The IUCN has assessed the rufous-legged owl as being of Least Concern. [1] It occurs in several protected areas but outside them is potentially threatened by logging of its mature-forest habitat. [4]
The russet-throated puffbird is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
The orange-breasted falcon is a Near Threatened bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and either definitely or probably in every South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
The buff-fronted owl is a small owl. It is found in widely separated areas in every South American country except French Guiana and Suriname.
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.
The rufous-tailed plantcutter, sometimes called the Chilean plantcutter, is a passerine bird of southern South America, now placed in the cotinga family. It is a medium-sized bird about 19 centimetres (7.5 in) long with a long black tail with a red base. Males have greyish-brown upper parts, a chestnut crown and breast, and dark facial markings. Females are similar but lack the chestnut crown and have streaked, buff underparts. There is a wing bar which is white in the male and buff in the female. This is a fairly common species with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The rusty-barred owl is a medium-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The fulvous owl, or Guatemala barred owl, is a resident of the cloud forests of Central America. A medium-sized true owl, it has a round head, lacking ear tufts. Its typical coloration is warm dark brown or reddish brown on the back and lighter brown on the front with darker barring. Adults weigh approximately 600 grams (21 oz), with females being heavier. Its distribution is limited to highland regions of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. It inhabits elevations from 1,200 to 3,100 meters, and is fairly common within its range. Its behavior is poorly known, as are its population size and distribution. It is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although it is considered endangered in Mexico.
The Chaco owl is an owl found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
The white-throated screech owl is a small owl found in the Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
The plain-mantled tit-spinetail is a small passerine bird of South America belonging to the ovenbird family, Furnariidae. It is a common bird across much of Chile, southern and eastern Argentina, southern Peru and western Bolivia. It occurs from 0 to 4,300 metres above sea level in a variety of habitats including arid country, open woodland, forest edge, scrub, grassland, parks and gardens. It forages among leaves and branches, searching for insects.
Irenomys tarsalis, also known as the Chilean climbing mouse, Chilean tree mouse, or long-footed irenomys, is a rodent found in Chile, from about 36° to 46°S, and in adjacent Argentina, mainly in forests. It is a large, long-tailed, soft-furred mouse characterized by grooved upper incisors and specialized molars with transverse ridges, divided by deep valleys, which are connected by a transverse ridge along the midline of the molars.
The rufous-banded owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The Pacific pygmy owl or Peruvian pygmy owl is a small "typical owl" in subfamily Surniinae. It is found in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
The buffy fish owl, also known as the Malay fish owl, is a fish owl in the family Strigidae. It is native to Southeast Asia and lives foremost in tropical forests and wetlands. Due to its wide distribution and assumed stable population, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004.
The tawny-bellied screech owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Archbold's newtonia is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. The birds have a greyish brown back and tail, with a rufous forecrown and a buffy white belly, throat, and undertail coverts. They have a conspicuous rufous eye-ring, accompanied with a black bill and pale yellow eyes. The species is sexually monomorphic, and there is no major difference between the sexes. There is no breeding plumage for the males.
The rufous-browed wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Central America from Mexico south into Nicaragua.
The mountain wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and western Venezuela.
The great rufous woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The Chocó screech owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found from central Panama to western Ecuador.
