Crested Owl

Crested Owl

Lophostrix cristata

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Arenal Volcano National Park
395 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,547 Verified sightings across all 35 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Crested Owl

The crested owl (Lophostrix cristata) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species (monotypic) in the genus Lophostrix. It is a resident bird and occurs in Central America and northern South America. It is a medium-sized owl, easily recognizable with its very long whitish ear tufts and otherwise darker appearance. It inhabits lowland rainforests and prefers old growth in proximity with water. The crested owl is a strictly nocturnal species, but very little is known about its behaviour.

The genus of the crested owl is in the family Strigidae as well as the subfamily Striginae and is traditionally recognized as a part of the tribe Strigini along with Strix, Jubula and Pulsatrix. However, recent analysis suggest that Lophostrix could form its own tribe, Pulsatrigini, with Pulsatrix.

There are three recognized subspecies: Lophostrix cristata cristata (Daudin, 1800) Lophostrix cristata wedeli (Griscom, 1932) Lophostrix cristata stricklandi (Sclater & Salvin, 1859) It has been suggested that Lophostrix cristata stricklandi could be specifically distinct from Lophostrix cristata on the basis that it has a grey morph, a shorter song and strictly yellow... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Black-White Owl
LC

Black-White Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Strix nigrolineata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Spectacled Owl
LC

Spectacled Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Mottled Owl
LC

Mottled Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Strix virgata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl
LC

Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glaucidium costaricanum

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Striped Owl
LC

Striped Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Pseudoscops clamator

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Pacific Screech-Owl
LC

Pacific Screech-Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Megascops cooperi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bare-shanked Screech-Owl
LC

Bare-shanked Screech-Owl

🌙 Nocturnal Bird

Megascops clarkii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Vermiculated Screech-Owl
LC

Vermiculated Screech-Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Megascops guatemalae

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
American Barn Owl

American Barn Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Tyto furcata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
2 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
3 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
4 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
5 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
6 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
<5%
7 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
8 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
9 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
10 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
11 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
12 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
13 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
14 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
15 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
16 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
17 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
19 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
20 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
22 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
23 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
24 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
25 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
26 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
27 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
29 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
31 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
32 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
33 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
34 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
35 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Crested Owl in Arenal Volcano National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Owl sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 395 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Crested Owl in Arenal Volcano National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Crested Owl in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

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