Abyssinian owl
| Abyssinian owl | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Asio |
| Species: | A. abyssinicus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Asio abyssinicus (Guérin-Méneville, 1843)
| |
The Abyssinian owl or African long-eared owl (Asio abyssinicus) is a medium-sized
owl.[3]
Description
The Abyssinian owl has dark brown eyes, a black bill and gray eyebrows. It is similar in appearance to the long-eared owl, Asio otus, but their ranges do not overlap, and the Abyssinian owl is darker. It has prominent dark brown, white-edged ear-tufts that are slightly centrally located on the head.[4][5]
Behavior and reproduction
Asio abyssinicus is a
nocturnal owl. It uses the nests of other birds to raise its offspring. The claws of the Abyssinian owl are significantly stronger than other members of the genus; as a result a wider range of prey is available, including smaller birds, field mice, and shrews.[4]
Distribution
The Abyssinian owl prefers open grasslands or moorlands with oak or cedar forests, and it is found in mountain valleys and gorges at elevations of up to 3,900 m (12,800 ft)
IUCN due to its very large range. However, the species is described as "rare to scarce" when seeking to identify one.[5]
References
- . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ Burton, John A. 1984. "Owls of the world: their evolution, structure and ecology (Rev. Ed.)". Tanager Books
- ^ a b del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1999. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 5: Barn-owls to Hummingbirds. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain
- ^ a b Lewis, Deane. "Abyssinian Long-eared Owl - Asio abyssinicus". The Owl Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2014.