Rufous-banded Owl
Strix albitarsis
The Rufous-banded Owl (Strix albitarsis) is a rare owl found in 5 countries, weighing about 559 g. The rufous-banded owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.
About the Rufous-banded Owl
The rufous-banded owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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...'".
What the Rufous-banded Owl sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Rufous-banded Owl can be seen all year round, with peak activity in December. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous-banded Owl?
- 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). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous-banded Owl?
- The Rufous-banded Owl is a large sized bird weighing about 559 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous-banded Owl?
- The Rufous-banded Owl occurs in 5 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia.
- What does a Rufous-banded Owl sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Rufous-banded Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous-banded Owl?
- The Rufous-banded Owl is most easily confused with the Spotted Wood Owl, the Rufous-legged Owl and the Rusty-barred Owl.
- Is the Rufous-banded Owl endangered?
- The Rufous-banded Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rufous-banded 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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