OWLS   -   STRIGIDAE

Peruvian Screech-Owl Megascops roboratus pacificus Quebrada Limón, Lambayeque department, Peru. Endemic to the Tumbesian and Marañon regions of W Ecuador and N Peru.

Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata perspicillata Sacha Lodge, Orellana province, Ecuador. One of the most common and widespread neotropical owls

Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana Reserva Ecologica de Guapi Assu, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Similar to Spectacled Owl, but occurs only in the Atlantic Forest region. Interestingly, Spectacled Owl also occurs in the same areas, and I don't think that anyone has studied the relationship of these two species in the area of overlap.		Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana Itatiaia NP, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The amount of barring on the underparts is quite variable. Unlike the previous one, this one hardly shows any.

Band-bellied Owl Pulsatrix melanota melanota Pacto Sumaco road, Napo province, Ecuador. The third and final Pulsatrix, this one is restricted to east Andean cloudforests from Colombia to Bolivia.		Black-and-white Owl Ciccaba nigrolineata Orotina, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. The famous owl from the town square of this pleasant town. It has been living there happily for years, and virtually every birder passing through western Costa Rica stops and has a look!

Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium nubicola San Tadeo, Pichincha province, Ecuador. And finally we get to the Glaucidiums. I have pretty much given up identifying most of these guys on just plumage features. Song is the only way to go, though geographical region is usually enough to let you know to expect. All of the pygmy-owls in this gallery were singing. This Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl was giving its distinctive double-toot pattern, but it has spotting on the breast, including the sides of the breast, a feature it is not meant to have.

Andean Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium jardinii Tandayapa Pass, Pichincha province, Ecuador. In NW Ecuador, it replaces Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl (G. nubicola) above about 2000 m. This is a nice rufous morph.

Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium costaricanum Savegre Mountain Lodge, San José province, Costa Rica. One of the more distinctive members of the genus, with bright and contrasting buff spots over much of its body.		Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium costaricanum Savegre Mountain Lodge, San José province, Costa Rica.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum ucayalae(?) Puerto Francisco de Orellana (Coca), Orellana province, Ecuador. Probably the most common neotropical owl. This is a rufous morph, which lacks distinct bands on the tail.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum ucayalae(?) Near the Blanquillo Macaw Lick, Madre de Dios department, Peru. Notice that the brown morph does have obvious tail bands.

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia grallaria Jeremoaba-Canudos road, Bahia state, Brazil.

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia cunicularia(?) Reserva Ecologica de Guapi Assu, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

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