Cinereous Owl
Strix sartorii
Large, dark-eyed owl restricted to pine and pine-oak forests in western and central Mexico. Apparently rare and local; only known from a handful of sites. Roosts at mid- to upper-levels in large trees, sometimes in fairly open situations. Primarily nocturnal, but can be active at all times of day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. Note dark eyes, cold brown and gray tones to the plumage, and combination of barring on the breast and streaking on the belly. Compare with Mottled Owl, which is smaller and darker brown. Listen for distinctive strong hoots, but beware distant dogs or other owl species.
Identification
Very few specimens of cinereous owl have been measured. The limited number of measurements indicate lengths between 430 and 505 cm (14.11 and 16.57 ft), male weights between 469 and 812 g (1.034 and 1.790 lb), and female weights between 610 and 1,051 g (1.345 and 2.317 lb) This large round-headed owl's upperparts are brownish gray with whitish to buff bars. It has grayish white to brownish gray facial disks surrounded by darker brown and buffy bars. Its underparts are pale buff to white with dark streaks.
Taxonomy
The cinereous owl has variously been considered a subspecies of barred owl (Strix varia) or even a barred owl that included what is now the fulvous owl (Strix fulvescens). However, since 2010, vocal and genetic differences have been shown to warrant its treatment as a species in its own right, according to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and the Clements taxonomy. However, as of December 2020 the BirdLife International Handbook of the Birds of the World retains it as a subspecies of barred owl.
- Scientific name
- Strix sartorii
- Authority
- (Ridgway, 1874)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Strix
Range and habitat
The cinerous owl appears to occur in three disjunct areas. The largest is along the Sierra Madre Oriental between San Luis Potosi in the north and Veracruz in the south. The next largest is a band from Durango south to Michoacán and the third is a relatively small area in Guerrero. It is believed to formerly have occurred in Oaxaca.
Behavior
Little is known about the cinereous owl's foraging strategy or diet, but both are assumed to be similar to that of the barred owl. That species is semi-nocturnal to nocturnal and is an opportunistic predator on small mammals and lagomorphs, small birds, reptiles, and invertebrates.<p>The only information about the cinereous owl's breeding phenology comes from the observation of a fledgling of unknown age in Nayarit in early June. It had well-developed flight feathers but downy body plumage.<p>The first recordings of the cinereous owl's vocalizations were made in 2015 and very few since then. It has a variety of hoots and other calls.
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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