Abyssinian Owl
Asio abyssinicus
A medium-sized owl with prominent ear tufts. The orange eyes are set in a brown facial disc. The breast is heavily streaked, and the belly barred. Found very locally in montane habitats including forest, heath, and sometimes open country. Similar to Spotted Eagle-Owl, but slightly smaller, slimmer, and browner, with longer ear tufts. Somewhat like Grayish Eagle-Owl, but with orange eyes. The call is a long, deep hoot.
Identification
The Abyssinian owl has dark brown eyes, a black bill and gray eyebrows. It is similar in appearance to the long-eared owl, Asio otus, but their ranges do not overlap, and the Abyssinian owl is darker. It has prominent dark brown, white-edged ear-tufts that are slightly centrally located on the head.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Asio abyssinicus
- Authority
- (Guérin-Méneville, 1843)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Asio
Range and habitat
The Abyssinian owl prefers open grasslands or moorlands with oak or cedar forests, and it is found in mountain valleys and gorges at elevations of up to 3,900 m (12,800 ft) a.s.l. It lives in the Albertine Rift montane forests, Ethiopia and northern Kenya. This species is classified as least concern by IUCN due to its very large range. However, the species is described as "rare to scarce" when seeking to identify one.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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Handsome tanager with a small range in the Andes of western Bolivia and southeastern Peru. It is pale with blue wings and tail, black mask, and buffy crown and vent. Similar to Burnished-buff Tanager, but has a duller, less rusty crown and is found at higher elevations. Inhabits lightly wooded areas and edge, avoiding areas of dense forest.
Fulvous Wren
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Reddish-brown wren with a faint pale eyebrow found in the understory of humid montane forest. Larger and longer-tailed than the tiny Mountain Wren, which also has a bolder eyebrow. Replaced at the northern end of its range by the very similar Peruvian Wren. Forages singly or in pairs low in bushes and near the ground. Listen for its loud song, a flowing series of whistles and trills.
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