Stygian Owl

About the Stygian Owl

The Stygian owl (Asio stygius) is a medium-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is found in Mexico, parts of Central America, Cuba, Hispaniola, and 10 countries in South America. The Stygian owl has these six recognized subspecies:

A. s. lambi Moore, RT (1937) A. s. robustus Kelso, L (1934) A. s. siguapa d'Orbigny (1839), common name siguapa A. s. noctipetens Riley (1916) A. s. stygius Wagler (1832) A. s. barberoi Bertoni, AW (1930) The Stygian owl is 38 to 46 cm (15 to 18 in) long and weighs about 400 to 675 g (14 to 24 oz). The sexes have similar very dark plumage. (The adjective "Stygian" means "of, or relating to, the River Styx", but is more widely applied to anything that is dark or dismal.) The face is blackish with a pale border and a whitish forehead, and the head has long dark feathers that project upward as "ears". The dark upperparts have buff streaks and bars; the underparts are a dingy buff with dark brown or blackish barring and streaks. The eye is shades of yellow, the bill blue-black to blackish, and the feet dark grayish or brownish pink. Its eyes may appear to be a shade of crimson under certain lighting... Wikipedia →