• Kingdom: Animal
• Phylum: Chordata (hollow dorsal nervecord/flexible skeletal rod)
  
• Sub-Phylum: Vertebrata (backbone)
• Class: Aves (Birds)
• Order: Strigiformes (Owls)

Basic Facts

• Owls are basically nocturnal or crepuscular (active in the late morning or early evening). However, during winter, some species may be observed almost any time and in a variety of habitats because they are in search of food. Because most owls are active in times of low light or complete darkness, they have evolved a low- frequency vocal repertoire as a means of communication. Familiarity with these primary songs can greatly facilitate owl identifications.

• Owls have two primary hunting methods: (1) "perch and pounce," which usually takes place from a low perch and is most common among forest owls, and (2) "quartering," which means flying low over the ground; it is most common among open-country owls.

• Owls have evolved several important adaptations to help them cope with their lifestyles. Some of the most recognizable characteristics include: Large heads to accommodate large eyes and ears. Owls cannot move their eyes up, down, or side to side like humans can, so owls have evolved the ability to rotate their heads approximately 270 degrees. The ears in some species are asymmmetrical (the right ear is longer and situated higher on the skull), allowing them to calculate flight angles when sounds are heard but prey cannot be seen. Owl feathers in many species are structured so that sound created by flight is absorbed; consequently, these owls can hear but not be heard by potential prey when flying. Owls usually vocalize at low frequency. These sound waves carry long distances and are not absorded by barriers such as vegetation as quickly as high-frequency vocalizations.

• There are 160 subspecies of owls in the world.

Family: Tytonidae

Subfamily: Tytoninae (Barn and Grass Owls)
Genus: Tyto
alba [Barn Owl] | deroepstorffi [Andaman Masked, Andaman Barn] | glaucops [Ashy-faced Barn, Hispaniolan Barn] | soumagnei [Soumagnes Grass, Madagascar Grass, Madagascar Red] | aurantia [New Britain Barn, New Britain Masked] | nigrobrunnea [Sula Island Masked, Taliabu Masked] | longimembris [Eastern Grass] | capensis [Common Grass, African Grass] | sororcula [Lesser Masked] | manusi [Manus Masked] | novaehollandiae [Australian Masked] | castanops [Tasmanian Masked] | rosenbergii [Celebes Barn, Sulawesi Masked] | inexspectata [Minahassa Barn, Minahassa Masked] | multipunctata [Lesser Sooty] | tenebricosa [Sooty] | prigoginei [Congo Bay, African Bay, Itombwe]

Subfamily: Phodilinae (Bay Owls)
Genus: Phodilus
Phodilus badius [Asian Bay]

Family: Strigidae

Subfamily: Buboninae (Typical Owls)
Genus: Otus (Scops & Screech Owls)
sagittatus [White-fronted Scops] | rufescens [Reddish Scops, Rufous Scops] | icterorhynchus [Cinnamon Scops, Sandy Scops] | ireneae [Sokoke Scops] | spilocephalus [Mountain Scops, Spotted Scops] | angelinae [Javan Scops] | mirus [Mindanao Scops] | longicornis [Luzon Scops] | mindorensis [Mindoro Scops] | alfredi [Flores Scops] | hartlaubi [São Thomé Scops] | balli [Andaman Scops] | rutilus [Madagascar Scops, Malagasy Scops] | pauliani [Grand Comoro Scops] | capnodes [Anjouan Scops] | moheliensis [Mohéli Scops] | pembaensis [Pemba Scops] | flammeolus [Flammulated] | scops [Common Scops, Eurasian Scops] | brucei [Pallid Scops, Striated Scops, Bruce's Scops] | senegalensis [African Scops] | sunia [Oriental Scops] | elegans [Ryukyu Scops, Elegant Scops] | mantananensis [Mantanani Scops] | magicus [Moluccan Scops] | beccarii [Biak island Scops, Beccari Scops] | insularis [Seychelles Scops, Bare-legged Scops] | manadensis [Celebes Scops, Sulawesi Scops, Magic Scops] | collari [Sangihe Scops] | alius [Nicobar Scops] | umbra [Mentaur Scops, Simeulue Scops] | enganensis [Enggano Scops] | brookii [Rajah's Scops] | lempiji [Sunda Scops] | lettia [Collared Scops] | bakkamoena [Indian Scops] | semitorques [Japanese Scops] | megalotis [Philipine Scops, Whitehead's Scops] | mentawi [Mentawai Scops] | fuliginosus [Palawan Scops] | silvicola [Lesser Sunda Scops, Wallace's Scops] | podarginus (Pyrroglaux podarginus) [Palau Scops] | leucotis (Ptilopsis leucotis) [Northern White-faced Scops] | granti (Ptilopsis granti) [Southern White-faced Scops]

Genus: Megascops
kennicottii [Western Screech] | asio [Eastern Screech] | lambi [Oaxaca Screech] | cooperi [Pacific Screech] | trichopsis [Whiskered Screech, Spotted Screech] | barbarus [Bearded Screech, Bridled Screech] | seductus [Balsas Screech] | clarkii [Bare-shanked Screech] | choliba [Tropical Screech] | koepckeae [Maria Koepcke's Screech] | roboratus [Dark-crowned Screech, Peruvian Screech] | hoyi [Montane Forest Screech] | ingens [Rufescent Screech] | marshalli [Cloud Forest Screech] | colombianus [Colombian Screech] | petersoni [Cinnamon Screech] | watsonii [Northern Tawny-bellied Screech] | usta [Southern Tawny-bellied Screech] | atricapillus (atricapilla) [Black-capped Screech] | sanctaecatarina [Long-tufted Screech] | vermiculatus [Vermiculated Screech] | roraimae [Roraima Screech] | guatemalae [Guatemalan Screech] | napensis [Rio Napo Screech] | nudipes [Puerto Rican Screech] | albogularis [White-throated Screech]

Genus: Gymnoglaux
Gymnoglaux lawrencii (Otus lawrencii) [Bare-legged, Cuban Screech]

Genus: Mimizuku
Mimizuku gurneyi (Otus gurneyi) [Giant Scops, Lesser Eagle, Mindanao]

Genus: Jubula
Jubula lettii [Maned]

Genus: Lophostrix
Lophostrix cristata [Crested]

Genus: Pseudoscops
Pseudoscops grammicus [Jamaican]

Genus: Bubo(Eagle Owls)
virginianus [Great Horned] | magellanicus [Magellan Horned] | bubo [Eurasian Eagle] | ascalaphus [Desert Eagle, Pharaoh Eagle] | bengalensis [Indian Eagle, Rock Eagle, Bengal Eagle] | capensis [Cape Eagle] | leucostictus [Sooty Eagle, Akun Eagle] | africanus [Spotted Eagle, African Eagle] | cinerascens [Vermiculated Eagle] | poensis [Fraser's Eagle, Usambara Eagle, Nduk Eagle] | lacteus [Verreaux's Eagle, Milky Eagle, Giant Eagle] | shelleyi [Shelley's Eagle] | sumatrana (sumatranus) [Bared Eagle, Malay Eagle, Oriental Eagle] | nipalensis [Forest Eagle, Spot-bellied Eagle] | coromandus [Dusky Eagle] | philippensis [Philippine Eagle]

Genus: Ketupa(Fish Owls)
ketupa [Malay Fish, Buffy Fish] | flavipes [Tawny Fish] | zeylonensis [Brown Fish] | blakistoni [Blakiston's Fish]

Genus: Scotopelia(Fishing Owls)
peli [Pel's Fishing] | bouvieri [Vermiculated Fishing] | ussheri [Rufous Fishing]

Genus: Nyctea
scandiaca [Snowy]

Genus: Pulsatrix
perspicillata [Spectacled] | pulsatrix [Short-browed] | koeniswaldiana [Tawny-browed, White-chinned] | melanota [Band-bellied]

Subfamily: Striginae
Genus: Strix (Wood Owls)
seloputo [Spotted Wood] | ocellata [Mottled Wood] | occidentalis [Spotted] | fulvescens [Fulvous, Guatemala Barred] | varia [Barred] | davidi [David's Wood, Sichuan Wood] | uralensis [Ural] | nebulosa [Great Gray, Lapland, Lapp] | aluco [Eurasian Tawny] | butleri [Hume's Tawny, Hume's] | leptogrammica [Brown Wood] | bartelsi [Bartels' Wood] | newarensis [Himalayan Wood] | rufipes [Rufous-legged] | chacoensis [Chaco] | hylophila [Brazilian, Rusty-barred] | virgata [Mottled] | nigrolineata [Black and White] | huhula [Black-banded] | albitarsus (albitarsis) [Rufous-banded] | woodfordii [African Wood]

Genus: Glaucidium
passerinum [Eurasian Pygmy] | perlatum [Pearl-spotted Owlet] | tephronotum [Red-chested Owlet] | californicum [Northern Pygmy] | gnoma [Mountain Pygmy] hoskinsii [Cape Pygmy] | nubicola [Cloud Forest Pygmy] | siju [Cuban Pygmy] sanchezi [Tamaulipas Pygmy] | palmarum [Colima Pygmy] | griseiceps [Central American Pygmy] | minutissimum [Least Pygmy] | hardyi [Amazonian Pygmy] | mooreorum [Pernambuco Pygmy] | parkeri [Subtropical Pygmy] | jardinii [Andean Pygmy] | bolivianum [Yungas Pygmy] | peruanum [Peruvian Pygmy] | nanum [Austral Pygmy] | brasilianum [Ferruginous Pygmy] | ridgwayi (formerly subspecies of above) [Ridgway's Pygmy] | tucumanum [Chaco Pygmy] | brodiei [Collared Owlet, Collared Pygmy] | radiatum [Barred Jungle Owlet] | castanonotum [Chesnut-backed Owlet] | sjöstedti [Sjöstedt's Owlet, Splendid Owlet] | capense [African Barred Owlet] | castaneum [Chesnut Owlet] | albertinum [Albertine Owlet, Prigogine's Owlet] | cuculoides [Cuckoo Owlet, Asian Barred Owlet] | castanopterum [Javan Owlet, Chesnut-winged Owlet, Spadiced Owlet]

Genus: Xenoglaux
loweryi [Long-whiskered Owlet]

Genus: Micrathene
whitneyi [Elf]

Genus: Athene
noctua [Little] | brama [Spotted Owlet, Spotted Little] | blewitti (Heteroglaux blewitti) [Forest Spotted Owlet, Blewitt's Owl] | cunicularia ([Burrowing]

Genus: Aegolius(forest Owls)
funereus [Boreal, Tengmalm's Owl] | acadius [Northern Saw-whet] | ridgwayi [Unspotted Saw-whet] | harrisii [Buff-fronted]

Genus: Ninox(Southern Hawk Owls)
rufa [Rufous] | strenua [Powerful, Great Hawk] | connivens [Barking, Winking] | novaeseelandiae [Morepork, New Zealand Boobook] | boobook (novaeseelandiae) [Boobook, Spotted Hawk] | sumbaensis [Little Sumba Hawk] | rudolfi [Sumba Boobook] | scutulata [Oriental Hawk, Brown Hawk] | affinis [Andaman Hawk] | superciliaris [Madagascar Hawk, White-browed Hawk] | philippensis [Philippine Hawk] | mindorensis (Ninox plateni) [Mindoro Hawk] | ochracea (Ninox perversa) [Ochre-bellied Hawk, Ochre-bellied Boobook] | ios [Cinnabar Hawk] | jacquinota [Solomon Islands Hawk] | theomacha [Sooty-backed Hawk, Jungle Hawk, Chesnut Hawk, Brown] | punctulata [Speckled Hawk] | odiosa [New Britain Hawk, Russet Hawk] | squamipila [Moluccan Hawk, Indonesian Hawk] | natalis [Christmas Island Hawk] | meeki [Admiralty Islands Hawk, Manus Hawk] | variegata (Ninox solomonis) [Bismarck Hawk, New Ireland Hawk]

Genus: Uroglaux
dimorpha [New Guinea Hawk, Papuan Hawk]

Genus: Sceloglaux
albifacies [Laughing, White-faced]

Genus: Surnia
ulula (Strix ulula) [Northern Hawk]

Genus: Nesasio
solomonensis [Fearful]

Genus: Asio(Eared Owl)
stygius [Stygian] | otus [Long-eared] | abyssinicus [Abyssinian Long-eared] | madagascariensis [Madagascar Long-eared] | clamator ([Striped] | flammeus [Short-eared] | capensis [African Marsh]

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