Mottled Owl
Strix virgata
The Mottled Owl (Strix virgata) is a uncommon owl found in 21 countries, weighing about 284 g. The mottled owl is a medium-sized owl found in Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina.
About the Mottled Owl
The mottled owl is a medium-sized owl found in Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina. The head and back are mottled brown and the underparts whitish, with vertical bars on the chest and throat. The eyes are dark and the head is round and they do not have ear tufts. They are territorial and found in dry forests and jungles at altitudes of up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
What the Mottled Owl sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States.
When to see it
The Mottled Owl can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Mottled Owl?
- The mottled owl is a medium-sized owl with adults reaching 280 to 355 mm (11 to 14 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Mottled Owl?
- The Mottled Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 284 g.
- Where can you see a Mottled Owl?
- The Mottled Owl occurs in 21 countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Colombia.
- What does a Mottled Owl sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Mottled Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Mottled Owl?
- The Mottled Owl is most easily confused with the Great Grey Owl, the Black-and-white Owl and the African Wood Owl.
- Is the Mottled Owl endangered?
- The Mottled Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Mottled Owl for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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