2011 Peru Trip Report

Intro

Just months after both my first son, Charlie was born and after I decided to begin my world owling endeavor, I traveled to Peru. I chose Peru because it was a cheap country with  huge number of owls, because I had seen hardly any of these owls during my last trip and because it was home to the long-whiskered owlet, a mythical creature.

September 26th I arrived in Lima just before midnight. Too tired to get a room so I slept on the floor of the airport with some weary Peruvian travelers.

September 27th. I caught an 11am Star Peru flight to Tarapoto and then bused to Moyobamba, and finally took a moto taxi to Quebrada Mishquiyacu Reserve. I waited for dusk, then hiked up the ridge trail. At the third zig-zag I had a Rio Napo (aka Vermiculated) screech-owl respond to a rufescent screech-owl recording. I taped it out using a Rio Napo recording and got great views of the bird perched in the low understory. I subsequently heard a second Rio Napo screech-owl high on the ridge. In the open white sand scrub on the ridge I heard a band-bellied owl. I spotlighted the far trees and found the owl, perched in a tree. When I played the tape, the owl flew in and circled overhead. It did this twice, allowing good views. The bird remained silent when on the wing. I also saw what was probably a band-bellied owl down by the creek crossing, however this bird was silent and seen only in silhouette.

September 28th. Jose Altamirano Guerrero, (joseoag@gmail.com), the owner of Quebrada Mishquiyacu reserve and I cruised around Moyobamba on his motor cycle in search of owls. We spent three hours doing this. We taped out a tropical screech owl in a city park. We had given up on striped owl, and were heading home, when we had brief views of one flying overhead. The distinctive carpal mark on the underwing was seen well. I spent a few hours looking for rufescent screech owls later that night but to no avail.

September 29th. I bused from Moyobamba to La Esperanza, a small roadside village, west of Abra Patricia. I asked around in the village, and was soon shown the Neotropical Primate Conservation building where I met my guide, Eddy. (To organize a trip contact Noga, at nogashanee@gmail.com). Eddy and I hiked for two hours to a house on a ridge top. That night we went out to a ridge trail. We heard a singing Cinnamon screech owl. After a couple of minutes taping, I was soon enjoying amazing views of this beautiful little owl. We had climbed a little further, then it started to rain. We waited under a tree for a couple of hours, then set off again up the ridge. We got no response to our tape of long whiskered owlet. Eddy suggested that we try at 3am. Back at the house on the ridge, we heard a distant owlet. We scrambled across the valley into some really tough terrain-recently felled trees, vines on a very steep slope. We heard the owlet close by, but made so much noise trying to approach the forest that it stopped calling. We gave up at midnight and returned to the house. I set my alarm for 3am.

When I got up at 3am I didn't have the heart to awaken Eddy. I hiked back out to the ridge trail and taped for the owlet. Soon I got a response. The owlet came quite close, but I was not able to spotlight it. Dawn was fast approaching and the terrain made it very difficult to get near the bird. Eventually it stopped calling. As I left the forest I heard rufous-banded owl.

September 30th. Eddy and I hike late in the afternoon out to the ridge trail, we then walked down the ridge to a valley and a clearing where a new farm was being established at the edge of the forest. We crossed a stream, and hiked up to a building, then across another clearing. We then climbed very steeply through the forest. Where the path leveled out, near a small overhanging rock, we rested and waited for nightfall. Then we started started taping. We soon had a response from the owlet, high above us on the hill. We taped and waited for a long time. Eventually we climbed up the hill, but the terrain was nearly impossible. For a while we lost Eddy's machete in a tangle of fallen logs and bamboo. Eventually we gave up the climb and return to the trail. The owlet continued to haunt us with its repetitive call. So we moved along the trail and taped again. And again. Slowly over a couple of hours the owlet descended. Once near us, we stalked it and searched with the flashlight, three attempts and an hour later, we finally got excellent views of the owlet perched quite low. Wow, what a freakish little devil bird! We hike back to the house by an alternate route, and for a while were quite lost. I was exhausted. Eventually we made it back a little after 12am.

October 1st. Eddy and I set out for the ridge trail. This is a magical place at dusk, under a violet sky, the wet cow pasture was bathed in yellow light. Once we hit the ridge trail, we descended. I played tapes for rufescent screech owl. After about a mile I got a response. We were quite excited, until we realized that we had cinnamon screech, responding to a the recording of a rufescent. Further down the trail, we had a rufescent respond. It took a lot of taping to secure a view of the bird, fairly high in the canopy. I suggested to Eddy that we climb back up the ridge trail, to look for white-throated screech-owl. He looked tired, but agreed. We heard no white-throateds and soon we were returned to the house on the ridge by a different route. It was midnight and we were both tired, so we went to bed.

October 2nd. We awoke fairly early and set off, back to the village of La Esperanza. Soon it started to rain really heavily and the walk back was very muddy and not much fun. At the village I met up with Sam, the husband of Noga, both of the Neotropical Primate Association. Sam was very kind to me, he made me coffee and let me use his hot shower. I ate lunch in the village, and then took a taxi back up the highway to the top of Abra Patricia.

I spent the whole afternoon walking the owlet trail at the Ecoan property, and walking the main road to the east of the pass. I taped extensively for Andean Pygmy-owl, but got no response. At dusk I did get views of rufous-banded owl about 2km east of the pass.

I ate dinner at the little restaurant just west of the pass then explored the trail opposite the gate to the Ecoan property. The trail looked promising, but soon led me into pastures. I gave up and entered to Ecoan property and explored the Grallaria trail. I attracted another rufous-banded owl with my white-throated tapes. Then, about 100m down the Mono trail, I got a response from white-throated screech owl. A minute later, I got really lovely views of a pair of these fantastic owls.

October 3rd. I started the day walking a long way east on the main road and taping for Andean Pygmy owl. 6km down the road I got a good response, but I was never able to locate the bird, despite several minutes of prolonged singing. (This was incredibly frustrating for me because I have looked for this bird many times on earlier trips without success). The day went downhill from there. Heavy rain in the middle of the day. I then went back to Ecoan, and tried the Grallaria trail and the canopy tower, but to no avail. At dusk I took a share taxi to Pedro Ruiz. I changed share taxis at Pedro Ruiz and went onto Chachapoyas. I saw a barn owl fly in front of the car about 5km before Chachapoyas. I arrived there about 10pm.

October 4th The day didn't start well. Torrential rain awoke me at 4am, and by 6am, the streets of Chachpoyas were calf deep in fast flowing brown water. I took a minibus south and got off at a roadside hotel, called El Chilo. The hotel staff know about a pair of roosting Koepck's screech owls. I arrived in the morning, and despite a lot of help from the hotel's owner could not locate the owls. I expanded my search, and was working my way through the scrub above the hotel, when one of the employees located the two owls, in their original tree. I enjoyed long looks at the pair high in a eucalyptus tree across the road from the front gate of the hotel.

I picked up another minibus and headed south to Leimebamba.

At Leimebamba, I decided to abandon a trip to the pass that afternoon, because the mountains were enveloped in black clouds. I spent the afternoon birding the scrub above town looking for Yungas Pygmy owls. Unsuccessful, I returned to town and settled into my room in a small hotel on the plaza.

October 5th I got up before down, and set about locating a taxi to take me up to Abra Barro Negro. I got dropped off there a couple of kilometers before the pass. Setting out up the road, I birded slowly, stopping at any scrubby patches. The air was quite thin, so I walked slowly. Four kilometers on the Balsas side of the pass, a Yungas pygmy-owl responded to my taping. The bird was aggressive, and soon I was face to face with this yellow-eyed, feisty little owl.

Despite the lack of traffic, I soon got a ride with a friendly truck driver, who ran me back into Leimebamba. It was a long wait, till I got the next bus to Chachapoyas. I called Aldo, the owner of ACP San Antonio and arranged for him to pick me early the next morning. (Aldo Muñoz Saavedra, Movil: 1-975025954, www.acpsanantonio.org.pe, Km.491.5-Carretera Chachapoyas_Leymebamba). I then settled in to a small hotel room for the night.

October 6th I met the owner of the reserve in Chachapoyas and he drove me to APC San Antonio. (Which is accessible by public transport. It is about 1-2 km south of the 3-way intersection of the Chachapoyas/Pedro Ruiz, Leimebamba road). It's a gated dirt road, running east, up the hill.

ACP San Antonio is a small reserve of scrubby hillside forest. I spent the day loafing around and eating. At dusk, we heard a Koepck's, but was intent on finding buff-fronted owls, so paid it little mind. Initially the owner, Maria (the cook) and a maintenance guy went out with me. The group was curious about owling. Alas we didn't see anything. By 10pm, it was raining and the group gave up. I settled into my tent and set my alarm for midnight. At midnight it was still raining, so I set may alarm for one by which time the skies had cleared. I walked down the road from the old hacienda, where I had camped. At the first crossing of the (dry) creek, I got a response to my playback. A buff-fronted called several times, but didn't approach me. I walked a few meters up the stream bed and shone my flashlight. Amazing there it was. My most wanted owl, 20 yards away! I held the beam on the owl and walked up to a few inches from the owl. What an absolutely beautiful bird! I was thrilled. I spent the rest of the night in my tent, sleepless and feeling immensely lucky.

October 7th. Aldo drove me back up to Chachapoyas early the next morning. I took a bus to the Jaen turn off, and then a taxi into Jaen. At Jaen, I found a moto taxi to take me to Gotas de Agua. (The turn off for Gotas, is near the south entrance of Jaen, near where the towns street splits into two one way roads. Go east for a kilometer or so, then south for 5 km. It's not particularly easy to find, so ask around). I ended up walking around the reserve buildings for quite some time before I found the caretaker. He prepared my room and made me a basic meal of beef and bread. At dusk, I played the tape for Peruvian screech-owl by the reserve buildings, and immediately two birds flew over head. Soon I was enjoying excellent views of these terrific screech owls. I later located a third bird a few hundred yards away, and heard a barn owl in the fields.

October 8th. I started at 4am, and set out walking back into Jaen. I was barked at by innumerable dogs, which made for a tedious walk. In town I waited at the share taxi rank for an hour, before departing for Tabaconas. It was a long ride up to town. Once there I bought supplies, then walked back down the road. Every 100m I played a tape for Andean Pygmy Owl. 26km later, sun burnt and very dehydrated, I gave up. There were 11 people in the Toyota Corolla which took me back to Jaen! At Jaen I waited a long time for a bus to Chiclayo. The journey was hot and long. I awoke as the bus entered Chiclayo and saw a burrowing owl perched on a street sign. Nice.

October 9th. I found a bus for Chongoyape, and got dropped off just outside of the Chaparri Reserve (http://www.chaparri.org/en) around 7am. At the head quarters I asked about striped owls and was told they would be at the lodge. A moto taxi was arranged, and soon I was on my way along the long stony ride up to the lodge. At the lodge I was shown to a very nice room. I spoke with a couple of guides who didn't seem to know about striped owls. Heinz Plenge, the reserve director, suggested that the owls were more likely to be seen at the entrance to the reserve. Ahhh! So I ate lunch, paid for the room. I did see a spectacled beer and two cubs, which was very nice! Then I walked back down the now really hot stony road. At the gate, I looked for a guide or ranger, but just found a couple of kids. I spent the rest of the day waiting for it to get dark. After dark, I played tapes and listened for striped owl in the scrub and dry fields near the gate. I did run into two Tumbesian screech-owls and heard a barn owl. But no striped owls. What a disappointment! The western birds area potential different species from the eastern birds that I had seen in Moyobamba, and are quite range restricted. Tired, I gave up early around 1030pm and slept until 7am.

October 10th I walked back to the main road, and bused into Chiclayo. I had to wait for 10 hours for the next Lima bound bus. The journey to Lima was uneventful, apart from the relative comfort of the bus.

October 11th. I arrived in Lima around 8am. I found I had another long wait, until 330pm, for the next bus to Abancay. During the middle of the night, as we crossed the Andes I was struck with a powerful fever and bouts diarrhea. To my shame and embarrassment the bus was stopped and the driver explained (in front of all the other passengers) to stop shitting in the toilet. It's for pissing only! A cocktail of Advil, Imodium and Cipro had me feeling pretty good by the time I arrived in Abancay at 8am.

October 12th I booked myself into a bargain room, bought some groceries and then set off for a long walk down to the river, then up the other side. By dusk I had covered 30km. I was sun burnt and thirsty. And and not seen an Apurimac`pygmy-owl. At dusk I heard a pygmy owl, and I was able to get it to respond to my whistled imitations of its call. However the bird would not approach me. I tried to pursue it up a steep slope, but was rewarded with a lot of cactus thorns and no pygmy owl. Fortunately ten minutes later, I was able to lure out and get good views of an Apurimac screech-owl. A kilometer down the road I heard a second Apurimac screech-owl. I was picked up by some friendly Quechua-speaking truckers, who gave me a ride all the way to Abancay for free. Very nice. There I ate a wonderful meal and felt like my luck was restored.

October 13th. I got up early at 4am and walked out of town. I caught a ride with a share taxi to run me down to the river. I got off by a couple of businesses selling sugar cane. There I took the small road that runs parallel to the river and past a small quarry. At the far end of the quarry, at first light I heard two pygmy owls. By imitating the calls, I got the pygmy-owls to come in close for great views. Excellent, the long journey to Abancay, was well worth it. I took a taxi back into town. There I discovered that it would be a long wait to the next bus, at 2pm. The views from the bus on the high Altiplano were spectacular. The descent from the Andes was pretty scary, the driver had the wheels of the bus squealing at every corner, and I managed to convince myself that we were sure to crash. I was wrong, and we made it safely back to Lima by 4am.

October 14th I felt a little nervous about navigating Lima in the dark. Non the less I set out on foot, armed with my Lonely Planet guidebook. I looked like total tourist! Fortunately I didn't encounter any muggers. I found a bus to Chosica, and then share taxied to Santa Eulalia. From there I took a bus out to the hydro plant at Huico, about 15km further up the road. I spent the rest of the day washing in the cold river and sleeping in the corner of a small soccer field. At dusk I set out looking for Magellan owl. I asked the guards at the hydro station, but they were unfamiliar with the owl. I then found a lady from the village walking with her children. She asked me where I was going, and when I explained about the Magellan. She enthusiastically explained that they fly around the eucalyptus trees every night. Sure enough a couple of minutes later a Magellan flew overhead. I got a decent view of its underparts, which were well lit by a street light. However I could not get it to respond to my tape. I hiked a short distance up the road and camped. My sleep was disturbed by calling barn owls.

October 15th. I walked back to Santa Eulalia. I was eager to find Peruvian Pygmy owl, which would have been my 20th owl of the trip. However it was not to be. I spent most of the day in the airport at Lima, before leaving Peru just before midnight. What an amazing trip.

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)

 

Australian barn owl 

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

Flores scops 

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

Rinjani 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

Whitney's Elf owl

Texas Elf owl

Sanford's 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

Rote boobook 

Little Sumba hawk-owl

Brown hawk-owl

Hume's hawk owl

Andaman hawk owl

Chocolate boobook

White-browed owl

Luzon hawk-owl

Mindanao boobook

Sulu boobook 

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 (#234)

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 (poss split from Lesser Antilles barn owl)

Cape Verde barn owl

Sao Tome barn owl

Bioko barn owl Clement's group from Eastern barn owl

Boang barn owl

Santa Cruz Barn Owl (from Australian) 

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

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

Daito Scops-Owl possible split from Elegant scops owl

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

Pryer's Scops-Owl from Japanese 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) 

Venezuelan screech owl (N Venezuela and Sierra Perija of N Colombia) 

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

Chaco Pygmy Owl (from Ferruginous, different from Tucuman) 

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  (Ngami) (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 (or Eastern) 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

Alor boobook

Red boobook

Babar boobook

Moa boobook Poss split from Southern boobook

Savu Boobook Poss split from Southern boobook

Northern boobook

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

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 141