Bird Guide

Black-and-white Owl vs Mottled Owl

Black-and-white Owl (Strix nigrolineata)

Black-and-white Owl

Strix nigrolineata

Large458 gForest

The black-and-white owl is a medium-sized owl with a round head and no ear tufts. It is between 35 and 40 cm in length and weigh between 400 and 535 grams. As for most owl species, females are usually bigger than males with an average weight of 487 g and 418 g respectively. It has a striped black-and-white breast, belly, and vent. With the exception of a black-and white striped collar, the upperparts from the crown to the tail are a sooty black. The facial disc is mostly sooty black, with white "eyebrows" that extend from the bill to the collar. Voice: Its call consists of a series of rapid, guttural, low calls, followed by a short pause and a low, airy call and a faint, short hoot. Occasionally, it is shortened to just the last two notes, leaving out the opening series. Moreover, the female's call usually sounds louder than the male's and individuals make fainter "hoots" near their nest.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Black-and-white Owl
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Call · Valle Fresco (near Caracas), Sucre, Miranda, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0
Mottled Owl (Strix virgata)

Mottled Owl

Strix virgata

Medium284 gForest

The mottled owl is a medium-sized owl with adults reaching 280 to 355 mm (11 to 14 in) in length. Females are considerably larger than males; the mottled owl shows the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism of any species of owl. The crown, nape and back are mottled in several shades of darkish brown, the facial disc is pale brown and the throat, breast and belly are off-white with distinctive vertical brown streaks. The large eyes are brown, the beak is greyish-yellow or greyish-blue, and the legs and feet are greyish-yellow. There is a darker form of the bird with a buff breast and belly.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Mottled Owl
Recorded by Walter Correa · Song, nocturnal song · Ibagué, Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia · CC BY 4.0
Photo: datadan · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-and-white Owl and Mottled Owl.