Black-banded Owl
Strix huhula
The Black-banded Owl (Strix huhula) is a rare owl found in 11 countries, weighing about 370 g. The black-banded owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.
About the Black-banded Owl
The black-banded owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. Entirely nocturnal, this midsized black and white neotropical bird is a resident species, and therefore never migrates out of its native South America. Its natural habitats are varied subtropical or tropical forests ranging from lowlands to areas of medium altitude, and it has been found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black-banded owl is medium-sized (30–36 cm (12–14 in)), blackish all over and densely striated with horizontal, wavy, white bars. A black face mask encircle its eyes. It has a rounded head with no ear tufts, and a yellow-orange bill and feet. The tail is sooty-brown, with 4 to 5 narrow white bars and a white terminal band. Primary feathers are significantly darker than the rest of its plumage. Black bristles and feathers are found around the bill and along the leg to the base of the toes. Voice: The song of the male black-banded owl consists of a phrase of changing hoots. The typical rhythm is composed of 3-4 deep guttural notes, followed by a pause of about 0.6 seconds, and ending with one or two louder and shorter hoots. This wobobo whúo or wobobo whúo hú song increases gradually in volume and pitch. The female sings a slightly higher-pitched version of this.
What the Black-banded Owl sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Black-banded Owl can be seen all year round, with peak activity in February. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-banded Owl?
- The black-banded owl is medium-sized (30–36 cm (12–14 in)), blackish all over and densely striated with horizontal, wavy, white bars. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-banded Owl?
- The Black-banded Owl is a large sized bird weighing about 370 g.
- Where can you see a Black-banded Owl?
- The Black-banded Owl occurs in 11 countries, including Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Guyana.
- What does a Black-banded Owl sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Black-banded Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Black-banded Owl?
- The Black-banded Owl is most easily confused with the Rufous-banded Owl, the Brown Wood Owl and the Spotted Wood Owl.
- Is the Black-banded Owl endangered?
- The Black-banded Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-banded Owl for real
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