owl taxonomy and conservation

Splits beyond Konig:


New Guinea masked-owl Tyto calabayi from Australian masked-owl

Madeira barn owl Tyto schmitzi from common barn owl

Slender-billed barn owl Tyto gracilirostris from common barn owl

Tyto javica from common barn owl

Colombian barn owl Tyto contempta from American barn owl

Bonaire barn owl from American barn owl

Tyto cayeui from lesser masked owl

"Somaliland scops" from African scops

Annobon Is Scops Otus faea from African scops

Principe scops

Cyprus scops Otus cyprius from Common scops

Rinjani scops Otus julandae

Chinese scops Otus erythrocampe from collared scops

Lanyu scops Otus botelensis from elegant scops

Calayan scops owl Otus calayensis from elegant scops

Banggai scops Otus mendeni from Sulawesi scops

Togian scops

Thai race Otus modestus from Oriental scops-owl Otus sunia

Sri Lanka scops Otus leggi from Oriental scops-owl

Andaman/Nicobar from Oriental scops-owl

Formosean Scops Otus hambroecki from mountain scops-owl

Vandewater's scops Otus vandewateri from Mountain scops-owl

Bornean scops Otus lucia from mountain scops-owl

Megascops duidae from Tropical screech owl

Santa Marta screech owl

Megascops vinaceus from Western screech owl

Megascops suttoni from Western screech owl

Megascops mccalli from Eastern screech owl

Apurimac Screech owl from Koepcke's screech owl

Byzantine Eagle owl Bubo interpositus from Eurasian eagle-owl

Mackinder's eagle owl Bubo mackinderi split from Cape eagle-owl

Turkish fish owl Bubo semenowi from brown fish owl

Bengal fish owl Bubo leschenaulti from brown fish owl

Magreb tawny owl Strix mauritanira from tawny owl

Omani owl Strix omanonsis

Mexican spotted owl Strix lucida from spotted owl

California spotted owl Strix caurina from spotted owl

Mexican barred owl Strix sartorri from barred owl

Strix borelitana (Atlantic forest) from Mottled owl

Lapland owl from great-gray owl

Western crested owl Lophostrix stricklandi from crested owl

American hawk owl Surnia caparochrom Northern hawk owl

Glaucidium ucayalae (East Amazonia) from ferruginous pygmy owl

Apurimac pygmy owl from Peruvian pygmy owl

Taenloglaux maliba (Western Ghats) from Jungle owlet

Schefferi's owlet (NE Africa) from African barred owlet

Cucumieu Athene noctua from little owl

Northern little owl Athene plumipes from little owl

Hutton's little owl Athene batriana from little owl

Assam race Athene ultra from Spotted owlet

Florida burrowing owl Athene floridena from burrowing owl

Richardson's owl Aegolis richardsoni from Tengmalm's owl

Aegolius heringi (Brazil) from buff fronted owl

Roti boobook Ninox rotiensis from southern boobook

Alor boobook Ninox plesseni from southern boobook

Timor boobook Ninox fusca from southern boobook

Ryukyu hawk owl from brown hawk owl

Humes's hawk owl Ninox obscura from brown hawk owl

Tawi Tawi boobook Ninox reyi from Philippine boobook

Cebu boobook from Philippine boobook

Mindinao boobook Ninox spilocephala from Philippine boobook

Camiguin boobook from Philippine boobook

Tablas boobook from Philippine boobook

West Solomon boobook Ninox jacquinoti from Solomon boobook

Guadalcanal boobook Ninox granti from Solomon boobook

Malaita boobook Ninox malaitae from Solomon boobook

Makira boobook Ninox roseoaxillaris from Solomon boobook

Bacan hawk owl from Moluccan hawk owl

Gede hawk owl from Moluccan hawk owl

Halmahara hawk owl from Moluccan hawk owl

Tanimbar hawk owl from Moluccan hawk owl

Hantu hawk owl from Moluccan hawk owl

Wilson's owl Asio wilsonianus from long-eared owl

Pohnpei owl Asio ponapensis from short-eared owl

Antillean owl Asio domingensis from short-eared owl

Hawaiian owl Asio sandwichensis from short-eared owl

Field owl Asio suida from short-eared owl






Owl Conservation




1994 edition of Birds to Watch

Rare owls that I have not seen




Critical

Seychelles scops

Anjouan scops

Grand Coromo scops

Forest owlet




Endangered

Madagascar red owl

Blakiston's eagle-owl

Rufous fishing-owl




Vulnerable

Taliabu masked-owl

Manus masked-owl

Bismark masked-owl

Congo bay-owl

white-fronted scops-owl

sokoke scops-owl

Javan scops-owl

Mindoro scops-owl

Usambara eagle-owl

Sichuan wood-owl

Albertine owlet

powerful owl

fearful owl




Near Threatened

lesser sooty owl

Andaman scops-owl

Sao Tome scops-owl

Pemba scops-owl

tawny fish-owl

chestnut-backed owlet

Andaman hawk-owl

owls that I have seen and owls I still need

Here's my list of owls that I have seen. I have adopted a loose taxonomy in anticipation of future splits.

Tasmanian masked-owl

Sulawesi masked-owl

Minahassa masked-owl

Australasian grass-owl

Ashy-faced owl

Common barn-owl

Javan barn owl (Mikkola suggested split)

Indian barn owl

 

Andaman Masked owl

North American barn-owl

South American barn owl 

White-winged barn owl (Clement's group, Jamaica)

Colombian barn owl

Galapagos barn owl

African barn-owl

Red owl

Sri Lanka Bay owl

Mountain scops-owl

Vandewater's scops owl Sibley and Monroe suggested split from Mountain scops owl (Sumatran) 

Indian scops-owl

Sunda scops-owl

Singapore scops owl 

Wallace's sops-owl

Palawan scop's owl

Lowland Luzon scops-owl

Everette's scops-owl

Negros scops-owl

Luzon scops-owl

Javan scops-owl

Rajah scops owl  (Sumatra) Clement's group 

Mindanao scops-owl

Oriental scops owl

Walden's scops owl

Andaman scops owl

Elegant (Calayan) scops-owl

Common scops-owl

Cyprus scops-owl

Pallid scops-owl

Arabian scops

Flammulated owl

Moluccan scops-owl

Simeulue scops owl 

Mantanani scops-owl

Sulawesi scops-owl

Sangihe scops owl

Peleng scops owl

Sokoke scops owl

Malagasy scops-owl

Torotoroka scops-owl

Mayotte scops owl 

Anjouan scops owl

Grand Comoro scops owl

Moheli scops owl

Seychelles scops owl

Western screech-owl

Vinaceous screech owl (xanthusi race-per HBW) 

Sutton's screech owl (Clement's group from Western screech)

McCall's screech owl (Clement's group from Eastern Screech)

Balsas screech owl

Santa Marta screech-owl

Whiskered screech-owl

Eastern screech-owl

Pacific screech-owl

Oaxacan screech-owl

Tropical screech-owl

Long-tufted screech-owl 

Koepcke's screech-owl

Apurimac screech-owl

Peruvian screech-owl

Tumbesian screech-owl

Colombian screech-owl

Rufescent screech-owl

Cloud-forest screech-owl

Bare-shanked screech-owl

Bearded screech-owl

Hoy's screech-owl

Cinnamon screech-owl

Vermiculated screech-owl (Choco)

Guatemalan screech-owl (West Mexican)

Mesoamerican screech-owl (West Mexican) 

Rio Napo screech-owl

(Southern) tawny-bellied screech-owl

(Northern) tawny-bellied screech-owl

(Belem) tawny-bellied screech owl 

Black-capped screech-owl

White-throated screech-owl

Northern white-faced owl

Giant scops-owl

Great-horned owl

Magellan owl

Eurasian eagle-owl

Rock eagle-owl

Dusky Eagle owl

Pharaoh eagle owl

Desert pharaoh eagle owl (Clement's group) 

Vermiculated eagle-owl

Arabian eagle-owl (Spotted)

Mackinder's Eagle-owl

Forest eagle-owl

Barred eagle-owl

Verreaux's eagle-owl

Snowy owl

Philippine eagle-owl

Buffy fish-owl

Brown fish owl

Turkish fish-owl

spotted wood-owl

Mottled wood-owl

Mexican spotted-owl

Northern spotted-owl

California spotted owl 

Brown wood-owl

Bornean wood owl 

Nias wood owl 

Mountain wood-owl

tawny owl

Maghreb owl 

Hume's owl

Omani owl

Mottled owl

Atlantic mottled owl 

Mexican wood owl

Rufous legged owl

Chaco owl

Rufous-banded owl

Rusty-barred owl 

Black and white owl

Black-banded owl

San Isidro owl

Fulvous owl

Northern barred owl

Mexican barred owl

Ural owl

Great gray-owl

African wood-owl

Crested owl (Choco)

Crested owl (Amazon)

Spectacled owl

Short-browed owl 

Tawny-browed owl

Band-bellied owl

Northern hawk-owl

Collared owlet

Sumatra owlet  (or Sunda proposed split from Collared by Eaton) 

Pearl-spotted owlet

Eurasian pygmy-owl

Northern (Pacific) pygmy-owl

Northern (Rocky Mountain) pygmy-owl

Mountain pygmy-owl

Guatemalan Pygmy owl

Cape pygmy owl

Yungas pygmy-owl

Austral pygmy owl

Costa Rican pygmy-owl

Andean pygmy-owl

Tucamen pygmy-owl

Colima pygmy-owl

Tamaulipas pygmy owl

Central American pygmy-owl

Amazonian pygmy-owl

Least pygmy owl 

Subtropical-pygmy-owl

Cloud forest pygmy-owl

Ferruginous pygmy-owl

Colombian pygmy-owl 

“ucayalae" pygmy owl

Ridgeway's pygmy-owl 

Peruvian pygmy-owl

Apurimac pygmy-owl

Asian barred owlet

Malabar barred owlet (Konig suggested split)

Javan owlet

Jungle owlet

Elf owl

Long-whiskered owlet

(Northern) Burrowing owl

(Hispaniola) Burrowing owl

Venezuelan burrowing owl 

(Ecuadorian) burrowing owl 

(Andean) Burrowing owl

(Littoral) Burrowing owl

(Grallaria) Burrowing owl

(Southern) Burrowing owl

Spotted owlet

Little owl

Cucumai

Lillith owl

Forest owlet

Boreal owl

Northern saw-whet owl

Unspotted saw-whet owl

Buff-fronted owl

Brazilian buff-fronted owl 

Barking owl

Sumba boobook

Southern boobook

Tasmanian boobook

Timor boobook

Little Sumba hawk-owl

Brown hawk-owl

Hume's hawk owl

Andaman hawk owl

Chocolate boobook

White-browed owl

Luzon hawk-owl

Mindoro hawk-owl

Romblon hawk-owl

Cebu hawk-owl

Camiguin hawk-owl

Ochre-bellied boobook

Speckled boobook

Cinnabar boobook (& "white-spotted boobook")

Togian boobook

Jamaican owl

Stygian owl

Long-eared owl

Wilson's owl

Madagascan long-eared owl

Short-eared owl

Galapagos short-eared owl

Field owl

Antillean owl

Hawaiian Owl

Marsh owl

Striped owl (#226)

And here is a list of owls I still need to see:

Madeira barn owl Robb split from Eastern barn owl

Slender-billed barn owl Robb split from Eastern barn owl

Curacao barn owl

Lesser Antilles barn owl

Dominican barn owl 

Cape Verde barn owl

Sao Tome barn owl

Bioko barn owl Clement's group from Eastern barn owl

Boang barn owl

Australian barn owl

Golden masked owl

Taliabu masked owl

African grass owl

Buru (lesser)  masked owl  Clements group from lesser masked owl

Tanimbar (lesser) masked owl Clements group from lesser masked owl

Seram masked owl

Manus masked owl

Australian masked owl

New Guinea masked owl Sibley and Monroe suggested split from Australian Masked owl

Lesser sooty owl

Greater sooty owl

New Guinea sooty owl Konig suggested split

Itombwe owl

Oriental bay owl

Sri Lanka bay owl Mikkola suggested split from south Indian birds

Serendib scops owl

Reddish sandy scops Clement's group from Sandy scops

Sandy scops owl Clement's group from Sandy scops

White-fronted scops owl

Stressmann's scops owl (possibly not a species)

Mindoro scops owl

Flores scops owl

Sao Tome scops owl

Principe scops owl

Socotra scops owl

African scops owl

Snowy scops owl Clement's group from African scops

Annabon scops owl Konig suggested split and Clement's group from African scops

Somali scops owl undescribed form, possible split from African scops owl

Formosan scops owl Sibley and Monroe suggested split from Mountain scops owl

Bornean scops owl Sibley and Monroe suggested split from Mountain scops owl

Sulu scops owl Sibley and Monroe suggested split from Mantanani scops owl

Northern Oriental scops owl taxonomy unclear, possible split from Southern birds

Lanyu scops owl possible split from Elegant scops owl

Rykuyu scops owl possible split from Elegant scops owl

Rinjani scops owl new species

Wetar scops owl

Sula scops owl

Siau scops owl (possibly extinct)

Kalidupa scops owl

Pemba scops owl

Nicabor scops owl

Sri lankan scops (from Oriental)

"Bengal scops" (From Oriental)

Enggano scops owl

Mentawai scops owl

Rajah scops owl (Borneo)

Collared scops owl

Chinese collared scops Mikkola suggested split from Collared scops

Japanese scops owl 

Costa Rican screech owl (from Choco Screech)

Puntarenas screech owl (from Choco Screech)

Puerto Rican screech owl

Alagoas Screech owl Dantus

Xingu screech owl Dantus

Duida screech owl (Konig suggested split from Tropical screech)

Foothill screech Roraima (Clement's group) 

Cuban bare-legged owl

Palau scops owl

Southern white-faced owl

Byzantine eagle owl Robb suggested split from Eurasian

Ethiopian Eagle owl (from Mackinder's) 

Cape eagle owl (Clements group from Mackinder's)

Akun eagle owl 

African spotted eagle owl

Fraser's eagle owl

Usambara eagle owl May be a ssp of Fraser’s

Shelly's eagle owl

Tawny fish owl 

Bengal fish owl Robb split from brown fish owl

Blakiston's fish owl Continental birds

Blakiston’s fish owl Japanese birds

Pel's fish owl

Vermiculated fish owl

Rufous fish owl

Bartell's wood owl (Likely same as Bornean birds)

Himalayan wood owl

Taiwan wood owl (poss split from Himalayan wood) 

Sichuan wood owl May be lumped with Ural owl

Lapland owl Robb split from great-gray owl

Maned owl

Western red-chested owlet Clement's group from red-chested owlet

Pycraft's red-chested owlet Clement's group from red-chested owlet

Eastern red-chested owlet Clement's group from red-chested owlet 

Trinidad pygmy owl  (poss split from Ferruginous)

Neblina pygmy owl (undescribed Luis Fabio Silveria) may be ferruginous pygmy owl

Pernambuco pygmy owl possibly extinct

Cuban pygmy owl

chestnut-backed owlet

Sjoeatedt's owlet

Scheffler's owlet Clement's group from African barred

African barred  (central)

Cape owlet Clement's group from African barred

Etchecopar's owlet

Chestnut owlet

Albertine owlet

Borneo owlet (Proposed split from Sunda owlet by Eaton)

Taiwan owlet (from collared) 

Hutton's little owl Clement's group from little owl

Northern Little owl Mikkola split from Little owl

Florida burrowing owl (Clements group, separate from Hispaniola birds)

Clarion Burrowing owl

Llanos burrowing owl

Guiana Burrowing owl 

Ethiopian little owl

Tengmalm's owl Robb split and Clement's group from Boreal

Queen Charlotte Island saw whet Clement's group

Rufous owl

Powerful owl

Morepork

Roti boobook 

Alor boobook

Red boobook

Northern boobook

Taiwan/Ryukuyu boobook possible split (birds of NE Asia) from Northern boobook (genetic divergence about 1.7%)

Mindanao boobook

Sulu boobook

West Solomon boobook

Guadalcanal boobook

Malaita boobook

Makira boobook

Christmas hawk-owl

Jungle hawk owl

New Britain hawk-owl

Buru Boobook

Seram boobook 

Halmahara boobook

Bacan boobook Mikkola suggested split from Halmahara boobook

Tanimbar boobook Clements group from Moluccan hawk owl

Gede boobook (Mikkola comment that an undescribed boobook lives on Gede Is)

Manus hawk-owl

Bismark hawk-owl

Eurasian Northern hawk-owl Robb split from Northern hawk owl

Papuan hawk owl

Fearful owl

Abyssinian long-eared owl

Pohnpei short-eared owl Clements group from short-eared owl 

Tumbes owl 147