Maghreb Owl
Strix mauritanica
A medium-sized owl with deep black eyes, strictly nocturnal and infrequently seen. Gray to gray-brown overall with a big rounded head. Found at a broad range of elevations from sea level to high mountains, in woodland, forest, parkland, rocky areas, and sometimes towns and villages. Tends to roost well hidden in foliage during the day, when may be detected by tracking down the excited sound of small birds mobbing the owl. Comes out at night to hunt in clearings and more open areas. Most often detected by its quavering hoots and "kee-wik!" shrieks, given at night. Somewhat similar to Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, but smaller and grayer, with dark rather than yellow-orange eyes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Strix mauritanica
- Authority
- (Witherby, 1905)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Strix
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Reed Cormorant
Microcarbo africanus
A small, speckle-backed cormorant that is common and widespread in fresh water. The adult is blackish with a short black crest above the bill. Immatures are brownish with paler underparts. Although they share the same habitat with Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Cormorants can be separated by their much smaller size, red eyes, and proportionately longer tails. Generally, Long-tailed Cormorant avoids the marine habitats of the similar-looking Crowned Cormorant, which has a larger crest, an unspeckled back, and a shorter tail.
Wattled Curassow
Crax globulosa
Very large black gamebird with a red bill. Males have a white ventral region which is chestnut in females. Strongly associated with riparian environments, especially seasonally flooded forest and river islands, where it is quite arboreal. Now very rare over much of its range because of overhunting.
Black-billed Koel
Eudynamys melanorhynchus
A large cuckoo endemic to Sulawesi. Long tail and red eye. Male is all black; females have a brown back andbarred underparts with white stripe on the face. Found in forest and edge where it hides in dense canopy and is difficult to see. The only koel on Sulawesi. Male separated from other black birds by long, pointed black tail. Female from other cuckoos by white stripe on face and barring. Voice a typical “koel!” call, or short series of rising and falling “woo” notes.
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