Flammulated owl

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Flammulated owl
Flammulated owl.jpg
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: Psiloscops
Coues, 1899
Species:
P. flammeolus
Binomial name
Psiloscops flammeolus
(Kaup, 1852)
Psiloscops flammeolus map.svg
Synonyms

Otus flammeolus

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

Taxonomy

The flammulated owl was formally described in 1852 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup under the binomial name Scops flammeola . He specified the type location as Mexico. [3] This species was formerly placed with the scops owls in the genus Otus but is now placed in its own genus Psiloscops that was introduced in 1899 by Elliott Coues. [4] [5] [6] The name Psiloscops combines the Ancient Greek psilos meaning "naked" or "smooth" with the genus name Scops, a synonym of Otus . The specific epithet flammeolus is Latin meaning "flame-coloured", "with flame-like markings" or "flammulated". [7] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. [6]

A molecular phylogenetic study of the owls published in 2019 found that the flammulated owl is a sister species to the Puerto Rican owl (Gymnasio nudipes). [8]

Description

The flammulated owl is a small, nocturnal owl approximately 15 cm (6 in) long with a 36 cm (14 in) wingspan. With such large wings for a small body, they can fly rapidly from tree to tree. Males and females can be distinguished by their weight. Females are larger, ranging from 62–65 g (2.2–2.3 oz) and males are smaller ranging from 50–52 g (1.8–1.8 oz). The owl gets the name flammulated from the flame-like markings on its face. [9]

The flammulated owl is similar in appearance to the western screech owl, but is only about one-quarter the mass, lacks large ear tufts (but has small ear tufts that are barely visible), and has dark eyes and a different voice. The elf owl is smaller and the mountain pygmy owl is about the same size. The call is a series of relatively deep, single or double hoots.

Distribution and habitat

It breeds from southern British Columbia and the western United States to central Mexico. It is a neotropical migrant and winters south of the United States, but also in South Texas, Arizona, and California. Unlike many owls, they are migratory, leaving Canada and the United States in the fall. In the winter, they are found in northern Central America, from southern Mexico to Guatemala and El Salvador. They leave their breeding grounds in August to head to their wintering areas, and then return to their breeding grounds in late April and early May. [10]

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

ScopsFlammeolaSmit.jpg

The flammulated owl nests in tree cavities and has two to four young at a time after a 26-day incubation period. The young are able to forage for their own prey after about 25–32 days. [10] These owls are obligate cavity nesters, meaning they only create nests in tree cavities. [11] Females usually select cavities that used to be woodpecker or northern flicker nests. [10] Their nests are bare and have no nesting material. Flammulated owls tend to form breeding pairs with unoccupied habitat between breeding clusters. [12] Unlike most owls, the Flammulated Owl often nests in loose colonies. According to EBird.org, One observation group once found 47 singing birds along a five mile stretch of road near Provo, UT. They tend to have one clutch of eggs annually. Like other raptors, they can live long and have high nesting success, and during the nesting period, the female owls rely on the males to forage for them. [11] Nesting habitat in the western U.S. and Canada is usually mature, open ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests. Flammulated owls can also be found breeding in deciduous forests with some conifers present. [12] In deciduous habitat, they can still breed productively.

Food and feeding

They feed almost entirely on insects, but very occasionally eat small mammals such as shrews and small rodents. [13] The insects they eat mostly consist of small Lepidoptera. They also eat crickets and beetles.

Conservation status

Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the flammulated owl as a species of least concern, but populations may be declining in some areas. [1]

Juvenile flammulated owl, northern Arizona Juvenile flammulated owl2.jpg
Juvenile flammulated owl, northern Arizona

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern saw-whet owl</span> Species of owl

The northern saw-whet owl is a species of small owl in the family Strigidae. The species is native to North America. Saw-whet owls of the genus Aegolius are some of the smallest owl species in North America. They can be found in dense thickets, often at eye level, although they can also be found some 20 ft (6.1 m) up. Saw-whets are often in danger of being preyed upon by larger birds of prey. The northern saw-whet owl is a migratory bird without any strict pattern.

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

The eastern screech owl or eastern screech-owl, is a small owl that is relatively common in Eastern North America, from Mexico to Canada. This species resides in most types of woodland habitats across its range, and is relatively adaptable to urban and developed areas compared to other owls. Although it often lives in close proximity to humans, the eastern screech owl frequently avoids detection due to its strictly nocturnal habits.

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

The western screech owl is a small owl native to North and Central America, closely related to the eastern screech owl. The scientific name commemorates the American naturalist Robert Kennicott.

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

The Eurasian scops owl, also known as the European scops owl or just scops owl, is a small owl in the typical owl family Strigidae. Its breeding range extends from southern Europe eastwards to southern Siberia and the western Himalayas. It is migratory, wintering in Africa south of the Sahara.

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

The collared scops owl is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from northern Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Himalayas east to south China, and Taiwan. It is partially migratory, with some birds wintering in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. This species was formerly considered to be included within what is now separated as the Indian scops owl.

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

Scops owls are typical owls in family Strigidae belonging to the genus Otus and are restricted to the Old World. Otus is the largest genus of owls with 59 species. Scops owls are colored in various brownish hues, sometimes with a lighter underside and/or face, which helps to camouflage them against the bark of trees. Some are polymorphic, occurring in a greyish- and a reddish-brown morph. They are small and agile, with both sexes being compact in size and shape. Female scops owls are usually larger than males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-cockaded woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The red-cockaded woodpecker is a woodpecker endemic to the southeastern United States. It is a federally endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese scops owl</span> Species of bird

The Japanese scops-owl is a small owl species in the family Strigidae, or true owl family. It is a member of the genus Otus, the scops owl genus. It is resident to Japan, China, Korea, and Russia.

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

The Philippine scops owl is a common owl, endemic to the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. Other common names include "Otus Whitehead", "Whitehead scops owl" and "Luzon lowland scops owl". Everett's scops owl and Negros scops owls were formerly considered conspecific but are now classified as separate species.

<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">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">Pallid scops owl</span> Species of owl

The pallid scops owl is a small scops owl ranging from the Middle East to west and central Asia, sometimes called the striated scops owl.

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

The Andaman scops owl is a species of the Strigidae family and is native to the Andaman Islands of India. It is a largely brown owl with white speckles and yellow eyes. The owl was first described in 1873 by British Ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume. The Andaman Scops Owl has no sightings outside of the Andaman Islands, therefore research on this bird is limited. This owl is not threatened, though an increase in deforestation on the islands has led to the population size slowly declining. It is a nocturnal owl that feeds at night and has a nesting season from February to April.    

<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">Koepcke's screech owl</span> Species of owl

Koepcke's screech owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Peru.

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">Flammulated flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The flammulated flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae. It was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Deltarhynchus but was moved to the genus Ramphotrigon based on genetic analysis. It is endemic to the dry deciduous forest, arid thorn forest, and scrubby woodland of Mexico’s Pacific coast. The flycatcher is an olive to gray-brown bird with a streaked, pale gray chest, white throat, black bill, dark gray feet, and dark brown wings. It is a skulking bird that typically remains hidden in the underbrush. It feeds by gleaning insects off of leaves and twigs that it spots from an exposed perch. The female lays approximately three eggs in a nest made in a shallow tree cavity.

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

Screech owls are typical owls (Strigidae) belonging to the genus Megascops with 22 living species. For most of the 20th century, this genus was merged with the Old World scops owls in Otus, but nowadays it is again considered separately based on a range of behavioral, biogeographical, morphological, and DNA sequence data.

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

The mountain pygmy owl is a small species of owl from the family Strigidae. They reside throughout southern Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.

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

The Cyprus scops owl is a small owl endemic to Cyprus.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Psiloscops flammeolus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22688637A93203659. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688637A93203659.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. Kaup, Johann Jakob (1852). "Monograph of the owls (Strigidae)". Contributions to ornithology for 1852. 5: 103-122 [111].
  4. Coues, Elliott (1899). "On certain generic and subgeneric names in the A.O.U. Checklist". Osprey. 3: 144.
  5. Chesser, R.T.; Banks, R.C.; Barker, F.K.; Cicero, C.; Dunn, J.L.; Kratter, A.W.; Lovette, I.J.; Rasmussen, P.C.; Remsen, J.V.J.; Rising, J.D.; Stotz, D.F.; Winker, K. (2013). "Fifty-Fourth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk. 130 (3): 558–571. doi: 10.1525/auk.2013.130.3.1 .
  6. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2021). "Owls". IOC World Bird List Version 11.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  7. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 160, 321. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. 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 .
  9. Biemiller, L.(2003). Night Vigil. Chronicle of Higher Education, 49 (44),A40.
  10. 1 2 3 Samson, F. B. (2005). A Conservation assessment of the northern goshawk, blacked-backed woodpecker, flammulated owl, and pileated woodpecker in the Northern Region, USDA Forest Service. Unpublished report on file, Northern Region, Missoula, Montana, USA.
  11. 1 2 Marti, C. Flammulated Owls (Otus flammerlous) breeding in deciduous forests.
  12. "Flammulated Owl". Audubon. Retrieved 2024-04-22.

Further reading