Long-eared Owl vs Stygian Owl

Long-eared Owl

Asio otus

Medium297 gForest

This species is a slim and long winged owl with erectile ear tufts, which are positioned closer to the center of the head than in many other types of owl. The purposes of ear tufts are not definitively known and are present in about half of living owls. A theory amongst biologists and ornithologists is that ear tufts could be a means of intraspecies communication of intent and mood. In general coloration, the long-eared owl is a hue of ochraceous-tawny with a grayish or brownish wash variably manifesting.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Christian Kahle · Begging call, call · Schneverdingen, Germany · CC0

Photo: Bouke ten Cate · CC BY 4.0

Stygian Owl

Asio stygius

Large565 gForest

The Stygian owl is 38 to 46 cm (15 to 18 in) long and weighs about 400 to 675 g (14 to 24 oz). The sexes have similar very dark plumage. (The adjective "Stygian" means "of, or relating to, the River Styx", but is more widely applied to anything that is dark or dismal.) The face is blackish with a pale border and a whitish forehead, and the head has long dark feathers that project upward as "ears". The dark upperparts have buff streaks and bars; the underparts are a dingy buff with dark brown or blackish barring and streaks. Voice: The Stygian owl's song has been variously described as "a single deep, emphatic woof or wupf", "a very low and loud hu or hu-hu", and "a muffled hoot given singly: boo". Females also give "a short, screamed rre-ehhr or mehrr" when calling to the male, and also "a short catlike miah".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Long-eared Owl and Stygian Owl.