Buff-fronted Owl

About the Buff-fronted Owl

The buff-fronted owl (Aegolius harrisii) is a small owl. It is found in widely separated areas in every South American country except French Guiana and Suriname. The buff-fronted owl was described by the American ornithologist John Cassin in 1849, and given the binomial name Nyctale harrisii. The binomial commemorates the American ornithologist Edward Harris.

The buff-fronted owl is the only member of genus Aegolius in South America. Its closest relative is the northern saw-whet owl (A. acadicus) of Canada and the U.S., and the other two extant members of the genus are found there and in Mexico. It has three subspecies, the nominate A. h. harrisii, A. h. dabbenei, and A. h. iheringi. The last of these has been suggested to be a separate species.

The buff-fronted owl is 19 to 21 cm (7.5 to 8.3 in) long and weighs 104 to 155 g (3.7 to 5.5 oz). It is compact and has a short tail and a large blocky head without ear tufts. Its facial disks are buff with a black surround and distinctive black patches above its greenish yellow eyes. The nominate subspecies' forehead and hindneck are yellowish buff and the rest of the head and upperparts chocolate... Wikipedia →