Black-banded Owl
Strix huhula
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.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rufous-banded Owl
Strix albitarsis
The rufous-banded owl is 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) long; two specimens weighed 265 and 350 g (9.3 and 12.3 oz). It has a round head and no ear tufts. Adults have a rufous facial disk that is blacker around the orange eyes, white "brows", and white lores. The rest of the head and the upperparts are blackish brown with buffy rufous bars and spots. The tail is also blackish brown, with lighter bars. The chest is dark brown with whitish and tawny bars and spots. The rest of the underparts are silvery white and rufous brown in an ocellated () pattern. The juvenile is buffy with a blackish mask. Voice: The rufous-banded owl's primary vocalization is a "ast series of 5–10 short, deep, guttural notes followed by brief pause and then an explosive higher-pitched note: 'hu hu hu hu hu, HOOa', or 'hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu, HOOa'". It also calls a "series of gruff single hoots: 'rrroo rrroo rrroo rrroo...'".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-banded Owl and Rufous-banded Owl.