tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68939054033492004872024-02-26T09:26:13.573-08:00Christian Artuso: Birds, WildlifeBirding, conservation, ecology and animal behaviourartuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-89309375121830351122020-09-21T17:27:00.007-07:002020-09-29T06:11:54.980-07:00Double jaeger whammy<p>Jaegers on the big lakes of southern Manitoba are far from common; so I was ecstatic when Josiah Van Egmond called out “jaeger” as we were scoping the water at Victoria Beach on 2020-09-19. I was blown away (literally and figuratively) to see the super long-tail streamers that immediately identified the bird as Long-tailed Jaeger (<i>Stercorarius longicaudus</i>), accompanied by that “lighter” flight style that I came to know and love while atlassing in northern Manitoba (when we documented them as nesting in Manitoba, previously unconfirmed: <a href="https://www.birdatlas.mb.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=LTJA&lang=en">https://www.birdatlas.mb.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=LTJA&lang=en</a> . I had not realised that it was possible for adult Long-tailed Jaegers to keep the tail streamers on the southbound migration, but I have since learned from Peter Pyle that this does happen and that their moult is highly variable. Peter Taylor tells me that, if the record was accepted, this would be the first record of a Long-tailed Jaeger in southern Manitoba in 118 years. Sadly, I did not manage any usable photos of the Long-tailed Jaeger, mostly because it flew back and away from us and by the time it landed on the water it was so far away I couldn’t find it in my camera lens so instead went back to studying it in the scope. Then, while my head was buried in the scope, Josiah called out “there’s a second jaeger coming in”. The two jaegers were visible together for a while but the Long-tailed disappeared around the west of Elk Island, whereas the second jaeger first flew north towards Sandy Bar and then back south and closer, landing on the water a few times, in between bouts of harassing a few gulls and terns. This allowed me to identify the second bird as an adult <b>Parasitic Jaeger </b>(<i>Stercorarius parasiticus)</i> and capture a few super distant record shots. I thought that getting more than one species of jaeger in Manitoba would only be possible in Churchill and the far north, but who knows what the wind can blow in…</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWST0KXod_fOzOwVujPLe8qr7XAOvywCRXBGESSMDoRi3WUJpMSkhpwbja9iVaO7tXYvdFIfupGZ-CI09p0UqW6Dvp5SyUeMIrUTY-vYsCm1WhWfwm81FD-Rfr6IsVqlD2-atRFCaN9dE/s1234/Parasitic+Jaeger_3154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1234" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWST0KXod_fOzOwVujPLe8qr7XAOvywCRXBGESSMDoRi3WUJpMSkhpwbja9iVaO7tXYvdFIfupGZ-CI09p0UqW6Dvp5SyUeMIrUTY-vYsCm1WhWfwm81FD-Rfr6IsVqlD2-atRFCaN9dE/w400-h268/Parasitic+Jaeger_3154.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibgmZVvM8JcHXfO2pi_-v92IleiW8wx_V5jVoQpLRrBao9apfV4Zp8GenjS33Bk-JT-538Q5gDcTocNHcca-dyvcJn2n5taSHSgl4eYuyIPv5LqX7MnnJGow8ggZXxeu5SJglr55ZiO0/s1234/Parasitic+Jaeger_3380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1234" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibgmZVvM8JcHXfO2pi_-v92IleiW8wx_V5jVoQpLRrBao9apfV4Zp8GenjS33Bk-JT-538Q5gDcTocNHcca-dyvcJn2n5taSHSgl4eYuyIPv5LqX7MnnJGow8ggZXxeu5SJglr55ZiO0/w400-h268/Parasitic+Jaeger_3380.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02LMKurPr3b8elOWs09P3YroIm4zPwC72p3eZVAGqqwgZqmDBpFzAzNPH41s5-W0d3DysupaWqntK-rvAE1_eVx9VkhpAn3IYwezodUF48sml1O7AwAhVHJgLXf-k1yzi7MTfF3UmRDA/s1234/Parasitic+Jaeger_3473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1234" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02LMKurPr3b8elOWs09P3YroIm4zPwC72p3eZVAGqqwgZqmDBpFzAzNPH41s5-W0d3DysupaWqntK-rvAE1_eVx9VkhpAn3IYwezodUF48sml1O7AwAhVHJgLXf-k1yzi7MTfF3UmRDA/w400-h268/Parasitic+Jaeger_3473.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G5_wja5q25fnICfLdLD8GXWnwTosgpfo943u-3Yj3kK8zrQC-C4DIWJSqKuxtKUCv8KZiA8IxCZteA3UatAB2zAulOb6g7SOk1N9ARGBvfqtXi1ugrqSwW7MpdSQEHsPo7e3EiIpbgA/s1234/Parasitic+Jaeger_3480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1234" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G5_wja5q25fnICfLdLD8GXWnwTosgpfo943u-3Yj3kK8zrQC-C4DIWJSqKuxtKUCv8KZiA8IxCZteA3UatAB2zAulOb6g7SOk1N9ARGBvfqtXi1ugrqSwW7MpdSQEHsPo7e3EiIpbgA/w400-h268/Parasitic+Jaeger_3480.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-3401927346212400922020-09-06T14:26:00.005-07:002020-09-06T14:42:52.272-07:00Distinguishing the Golden Eagle and the Bald Eagle<p><span class="oi732d6d ik7dh3pa d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql a8c37x1j muag1w35 ew0dbk1b jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">Since I spend rather a lot of time discussing the difference between
subadult plumages of Bald eagle versus Golden Eagle (when people send me
photos or in reviewing eBird records etc.), I decided to share a series
of 9 slides on their identification. These slide should be self explanatory so click on the first one to follow the sequence in full screen: <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53ZFuCVFMWHRGbBe3vwpZkzfvDBVLyM0rwSIUe650zJY6dWTGPFFXwSSiEKkEV_26pUT6Bv7cGtUjIqqnSobUkQjPhaElRY0sulCkiysuSKt6qzBfmobNWX4lDOCgz7ionZP0RAbfx7k/s1800/eagle+comparison1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53ZFuCVFMWHRGbBe3vwpZkzfvDBVLyM0rwSIUe650zJY6dWTGPFFXwSSiEKkEV_26pUT6Bv7cGtUjIqqnSobUkQjPhaElRY0sulCkiysuSKt6qzBfmobNWX4lDOCgz7ionZP0RAbfx7k/w400-h300/eagle+comparison1.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53ZFuCVFMWHRGbBe3vwpZkzfvDBVLyM0rwSIUe650zJY6dWTGPFFXwSSiEKkEV_26pUT6Bv7cGtUjIqqnSobUkQjPhaElRY0sulCkiysuSKt6qzBfmobNWX4lDOCgz7ionZP0RAbfx7k/s1800/eagle+comparison1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53ZFuCVFMWHRGbBe3vwpZkzfvDBVLyM0rwSIUe650zJY6dWTGPFFXwSSiEKkEV_26pUT6Bv7cGtUjIqqnSobUkQjPhaElRY0sulCkiysuSKt6qzBfmobNWX4lDOCgz7ionZP0RAbfx7k/s1800/eagle+comparison1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mEusJZgbDtKFr1ziT4UR1VHsP31Zd48cmoPEyONNCaOacP_2z68geVNrXZwvBnZrd_k6mIevjQ8-1XDzRuY69b4xlvD3NDnnboZdyhIamNKyqGGzR6YxZOXXsoWdw2BC02UfeMH4ISk/s1800/eagle+comparison2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mEusJZgbDtKFr1ziT4UR1VHsP31Zd48cmoPEyONNCaOacP_2z68geVNrXZwvBnZrd_k6mIevjQ8-1XDzRuY69b4xlvD3NDnnboZdyhIamNKyqGGzR6YxZOXXsoWdw2BC02UfeMH4ISk/w400-h300/eagle+comparison2.jpg" width="400" /> </a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mEusJZgbDtKFr1ziT4UR1VHsP31Zd48cmoPEyONNCaOacP_2z68geVNrXZwvBnZrd_k6mIevjQ8-1XDzRuY69b4xlvD3NDnnboZdyhIamNKyqGGzR6YxZOXXsoWdw2BC02UfeMH4ISk/s1800/eagle+comparison2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu0eZXBgUL7RH0cK-scQf-qCk-cMw1AIIASVu4W1zHfS9bmb8XOUgfWJgFoIbeKQK9fju7KKTOBNwTAwHXTqcxyYx0SXjrPLAaNzzTMmf4MNvoSmfCmWf8YpT5fSvRizmvifHcoBXNhY/s1800/eagle+comparison3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu0eZXBgUL7RH0cK-scQf-qCk-cMw1AIIASVu4W1zHfS9bmb8XOUgfWJgFoIbeKQK9fju7KKTOBNwTAwHXTqcxyYx0SXjrPLAaNzzTMmf4MNvoSmfCmWf8YpT5fSvRizmvifHcoBXNhY/w400-h300/eagle+comparison3.jpg" width="400" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu0eZXBgUL7RH0cK-scQf-qCk-cMw1AIIASVu4W1zHfS9bmb8XOUgfWJgFoIbeKQK9fju7KKTOBNwTAwHXTqcxyYx0SXjrPLAaNzzTMmf4MNvoSmfCmWf8YpT5fSvRizmvifHcoBXNhY/s1800/eagle+comparison3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu0eZXBgUL7RH0cK-scQf-qCk-cMw1AIIASVu4W1zHfS9bmb8XOUgfWJgFoIbeKQK9fju7KKTOBNwTAwHXTqcxyYx0SXjrPLAaNzzTMmf4MNvoSmfCmWf8YpT5fSvRizmvifHcoBXNhY/s1800/eagle+comparison3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKIK1gbp_0WYUgEr4gEdwCAf-g3aAiSTBRwsSMEURJ_jBXzIGqrxeS5Vi2Q9idq38T71IaDxJbTSBOOsULWdQkR_ORsGcW0JoiR1sMmnDJSwqhcr8vKs7Mj2slkWyiyhHGW2LF54gJ6c/s1800/eagle+comparison4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKIK1gbp_0WYUgEr4gEdwCAf-g3aAiSTBRwsSMEURJ_jBXzIGqrxeS5Vi2Q9idq38T71IaDxJbTSBOOsULWdQkR_ORsGcW0JoiR1sMmnDJSwqhcr8vKs7Mj2slkWyiyhHGW2LF54gJ6c/w400-h300/eagle+comparison4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA0LCFJfngE_JmSgylfEyjrpiOKW6P5oHb94gQ5hZCwN3W_wDZbGltbI2J0_AI4nlUs5Zi5rsIy7l83nAwVKsOk1j3Jko_9TkbZlyullu-RM7xKzWsEa1tkmrRjUUo8i2DXXzDPV83dk/s1800/eagle+comparison5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA0LCFJfngE_JmSgylfEyjrpiOKW6P5oHb94gQ5hZCwN3W_wDZbGltbI2J0_AI4nlUs5Zi5rsIy7l83nAwVKsOk1j3Jko_9TkbZlyullu-RM7xKzWsEa1tkmrRjUUo8i2DXXzDPV83dk/w400-h300/eagle+comparison5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONyAtHRWBNGETb_JT-eP4vNH8DqWzjWB1CGjTtUjFie0Tc_WZGzXK_JA1RNIeUKFOoeBHoroCe_eOP5BZiaxZgAPVve6erHgO3-ZZ0MMwpWw9wE1A_rK88GVq8tMWeh5Il7nzp3ezxw/s1800/eagle+comparison5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMacehonVvB_7KRh7fYloNkbdqMFw7VDvCkHSKg4n9IYZHuIpRAkzax2mAUpZy4Y-FcdJkYbYivF3j1WwxD0bYQwjP9CNbV9Iho_EH-ty5s_ORq22T5Jq_teuxROex1qc2ybp5ReerZE/w400-h300/eagle+comparison6.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAZvi7chRWX3AdOEEMCFkmQBFGly99azz1CrSSPUNtgbxNKrrPXEd3fyNC3qv_ggfvUxVWou22xMsR17MCIcZy-qU5ST89FXEn-bjR_rRywtokX0UwL6qI6DVKUaAR84FWadKA6aCQCU/s1800/eagle+comparison7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAZvi7chRWX3AdOEEMCFkmQBFGly99azz1CrSSPUNtgbxNKrrPXEd3fyNC3qv_ggfvUxVWou22xMsR17MCIcZy-qU5ST89FXEn-bjR_rRywtokX0UwL6qI6DVKUaAR84FWadKA6aCQCU/w400-h300/eagle+comparison7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAg6h3opGpRc25sF8Yw-opgwY1NYrSPVx_pEoevbk0a0e6chUc4NhHG9o8YKkX0t2E5k-HzCfOjVWGlbk-_vcVF35EGowwKkzg7T8chOeEKPlE3PfVsprZ4hSfo7wstK-nOTQHEUsZaI/s1800/eagle+comparison8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAg6h3opGpRc25sF8Yw-opgwY1NYrSPVx_pEoevbk0a0e6chUc4NhHG9o8YKkX0t2E5k-HzCfOjVWGlbk-_vcVF35EGowwKkzg7T8chOeEKPlE3PfVsprZ4hSfo7wstK-nOTQHEUsZaI/w400-h300/eagle+comparison8.jpg" width="400" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAg6h3opGpRc25sF8Yw-opgwY1NYrSPVx_pEoevbk0a0e6chUc4NhHG9o8YKkX0t2E5k-HzCfOjVWGlbk-_vcVF35EGowwKkzg7T8chOeEKPlE3PfVsprZ4hSfo7wstK-nOTQHEUsZaI/s1800/eagle+comparison8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAg6h3opGpRc25sF8Yw-opgwY1NYrSPVx_pEoevbk0a0e6chUc4NhHG9o8YKkX0t2E5k-HzCfOjVWGlbk-_vcVF35EGowwKkzg7T8chOeEKPlE3PfVsprZ4hSfo7wstK-nOTQHEUsZaI/s1800/eagle+comparison8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy_ziIDsB4SXo6minc_geN6LI6R25A5NNtxwfEpSh7pzXpvRaBWVpcQDcyfGWFR3PU6f7mrde5LIT2msL31mLyIC_6roLU2jkDcP6T4nuous4JmtTlWtkUUbmFa1txyKm1V4QbJ0iNoo/s1800/eagle+comparison9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy_ziIDsB4SXo6minc_geN6LI6R25A5NNtxwfEpSh7pzXpvRaBWVpcQDcyfGWFR3PU6f7mrde5LIT2msL31mLyIC_6roLU2jkDcP6T4nuous4JmtTlWtkUUbmFa1txyKm1V4QbJ0iNoo/w400-h300/eagle+comparison9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONyAtHRWBNGETb_JT-eP4vNH8DqWzjWB1CGjTtUjFie0Tc_WZGzXK_JA1RNIeUKFOoeBHoroCe_eOP5BZiaxZgAPVve6erHgO3-ZZ0MMwpWw9wE1A_rK88GVq8tMWeh5Il7nzp3ezxw/s1800/eagle+comparison5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53ZFuCVFMWHRGbBe3vwpZkzfvDBVLyM0rwSIUe650zJY6dWTGPFFXwSSiEKkEV_26pUT6Bv7cGtUjIqqnSobUkQjPhaElRY0sulCkiysuSKt6qzBfmobNWX4lDOCgz7ionZP0RAbfx7k/s1800/eagle+comparison1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a></div>artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-76040508918620171772020-01-12T09:35:00.004-08:002020-01-12T11:03:25.423-08:00A Return Trip to ManitobaI had the good fortune to spend a fortnight back in Manitoba and to catch up with friends and colleagues. That included the opportunity to get out birding a few times and appreciate the owls that I always found to be one of the province's main attractions. In just a few outings I saw 15 <b>Great Gray Owl</b>s and 5 <b>Northern Hawk Owl</b>s; certainly not a lot by Manitoba standards (nowhere close to a personal best for any species) but a great joy to watch. To share the memories, I put together this short blog post on some of the birds we saw (clicking on any photo allows you to view it full screen).<br />
<br />
Starting with the provincial bird, the <b>Great Gray Owl</b>, I had a hard time choosing which photos to share as there were some wonderful opportunities to observe them. The first four photos illustrate an example of a <b>Great Gray Owl </b>hunting. The owl was perched in some conifers (first photo) near a ditch and was moving its head in a manner that suggested it was listening intently to something below (most likely the movement of a vole in a subnivean tunnel). We parked the car back from the owl in the direction the owl seemed to be hunting and waited for a few minutes. <br />
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When the Great Gray flew towards the sound it had been fixated on, it made an unexpected turn in our direction and hovered ever so briefly before plunging. This allowed me to capture a few photos in the classic "angel" pose just before the owl dove. </div>
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The first dive appeared to be unsuccessful so the owl perched a little closer to the area of interest. We had no choice but to remain inside the car and wait quietly so as to not disturb the hunt. </div>
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When the owl flew back and plunged a second time, it was basically coming towards us and it plunged into the ditch where it was hidden from view by the snowbank and the vegetation. <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We believe the owl was successful on its second
attempt, although we couldn't really tell because it was blocked from view. The
owl stayed in the snow for several minutes and its head motions, as far as we
could see, seemed to suggest it was swallowing). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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This hunting sequence was the highlight of our <b>Great Gray Owl </b>observations but there were many other magic moments, some of them captured in the photos below.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7pq8Ia3FqJBhJKXoxfPl3dAA-XY0QR86N449SdWbdUhxyfH6OSaTIKSLXyz5iMH-JSAaDprSI3MwZZleTjTtenVbLrhRkGDtqD-stDQpJSe0rDCfIFl5JBsdIZ2-VeLLD-PNhtbrsog/s1600/Great+Gray+Owl_7424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7pq8Ia3FqJBhJKXoxfPl3dAA-XY0QR86N449SdWbdUhxyfH6OSaTIKSLXyz5iMH-JSAaDprSI3MwZZleTjTtenVbLrhRkGDtqD-stDQpJSe0rDCfIFl5JBsdIZ2-VeLLD-PNhtbrsog/s400/Great+Gray+Owl_7424.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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For good measure, I like to include a habitat photo for those who like to play "spot the owl".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7aT-O02k-eO38YHgyiPDIUYGKtpMt-wN-TMMlKv_3R7Z_uPK0Ybf69YL68ceRNXMW3RVdja1DJM900pahQodhMIjsNkyiMIQFDgqHhUpbc_nqNv7t7OJD6ux_EBfCdWg3sw2jEofjzo/s1600/Great+Gray+Owl_7600_habitat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7aT-O02k-eO38YHgyiPDIUYGKtpMt-wN-TMMlKv_3R7Z_uPK0Ybf69YL68ceRNXMW3RVdja1DJM900pahQodhMIjsNkyiMIQFDgqHhUpbc_nqNv7t7OJD6ux_EBfCdWg3sw2jEofjzo/s400/Great+Gray+Owl_7600_habitat.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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The other northern owl that we always look for is the<b> Northern Hawk Owl</b>. In some winters, Northern Hawk Owls are easier to see than Great Gray Owls, helped by their habit of sitting atop the tallest available perch. This winter though, I got out on windy days and the Northern Hawk Owls were lower down and harder to spot, although this did make for an interesting photo or two.</div>
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Once again, here is the obligatory habitat photo for those who like to play "spot the owl".</div>
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The Barred Owl is a common owl species but nonetheless harder to see in Manitoba than eastern Canada or British Columbia. Manitoban birders certainly appreciate a chance to see one in daylight and this trip offered one excellent such opportunity. This bird was hunting just before twilight but I did not manage to get really good photos of it in flight. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUw89JPaJ3S86Liy_gNUOBvMd6FzwaynKixwiiNaj1fzldRTKlwwyvhqoLt_lMTDMdJBpCKTzabVw8_bwAmL7d4ntgk0BYwwhEn9nfY1MbfDJkjz8KCQMPsZJamfMl7UPEFoGR1UwZtXI/s1600/Barred+Owl_8892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUw89JPaJ3S86Liy_gNUOBvMd6FzwaynKixwiiNaj1fzldRTKlwwyvhqoLt_lMTDMdJBpCKTzabVw8_bwAmL7d4ntgk0BYwwhEn9nfY1MbfDJkjz8KCQMPsZJamfMl7UPEFoGR1UwZtXI/s400/Barred+Owl_8892.jpg" width="262" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94Tx7uUGvHAaQxuP9NwsEIz9PoEH61nKBiUq00rr2NSIFhVj1a6ktGYmuP0lMufely9c9gZzEKK7iZEyj_lS39tOcBtyqhg0mFxEN1rTPxb_I3DdNRTUQlpy81lVQ2sbb2oiIcMs1_aM/s1600/Barred+Owl_9095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94Tx7uUGvHAaQxuP9NwsEIz9PoEH61nKBiUq00rr2NSIFhVj1a6ktGYmuP0lMufely9c9gZzEKK7iZEyj_lS39tOcBtyqhg0mFxEN1rTPxb_I3DdNRTUQlpy81lVQ2sbb2oiIcMs1_aM/s400/Barred+Owl_9095.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were some other raptors to appreciate as well; for example, a couple of Northern Goshawks and quite a few Bald Eagles such as this one: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbW1sKQa3KsIvUYKz7moklFf6iEhV7GHNMhm_d8HrSJGHvIeZ8bFaQt4s0VWeFD0OnRSZnthXIOBmuO3q0l7Hb2Tj-yt4OfZ4_i6Jrwj7dDF9puIXTmG6M6rBxpumobpSWGNBKCSq7oQ/s1600/Bald+Eagle_8210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbW1sKQa3KsIvUYKz7moklFf6iEhV7GHNMhm_d8HrSJGHvIeZ8bFaQt4s0VWeFD0OnRSZnthXIOBmuO3q0l7Hb2Tj-yt4OfZ4_i6Jrwj7dDF9puIXTmG6M6rBxpumobpSWGNBKCSq7oQ/s400/Bald+Eagle_8210.jpg" width="263" /> </a></div>
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I also enjoyed some of the winter songbirds on offer in Manitoba, including several Northern Shrikes,</div>
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and of course the ever-charismatic Canada Jay:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QZb1mqAGAPStjCgPb7VRDwksO3-QY42D77_csE7wJHjDfcswiG82Qmk4qdHGDB9JJ78-DFmdVBTNDQ8fbOJP93eoIdQZVf77V048APEcRVFQab1mtw6qqOHmJoJyF8b9HrmkAikJxN8/s1600/Canada+Jay_8782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QZb1mqAGAPStjCgPb7VRDwksO3-QY42D77_csE7wJHjDfcswiG82Qmk4qdHGDB9JJ78-DFmdVBTNDQ8fbOJP93eoIdQZVf77V048APEcRVFQab1mtw6qqOHmJoJyF8b9HrmkAikJxN8/s400/Canada+Jay_8782.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It does not seem to be a particularly big year fro Bohemian Waxwings but the flock we saw put on a truly splendid show:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ljJm29ekmnTZblUddbowdcRyMM5Y7LVQxGtNYk9GbY7ZyTIamk8YB4EyrI584Zm76zSv-4Vt7k9l1gVZs8WHrOoKFMbn24XTSsV6zBtGqcUXHXBb3p2LlNGseOt9i3_UveOQpt6X-S0/s1600/Bohemian+Waxwing_9595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ljJm29ekmnTZblUddbowdcRyMM5Y7LVQxGtNYk9GbY7ZyTIamk8YB4EyrI584Zm76zSv-4Vt7k9l1gVZs8WHrOoKFMbn24XTSsV6zBtGqcUXHXBb3p2LlNGseOt9i3_UveOQpt6X-S0/s400/Bohemian+Waxwing_9595.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Winter finches are rather sparse this year. I got to appreciate some Pine Grosbeaks and Evening Grosbeaks but, amazingly not a single redpoll! Here is one of the Evening Grosbeaks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjTGKpPtVMOAItmmc06A43JfTm5ifNoesg7BHmQwJTqLQVXIjUmsQvC_vNfxfz5J1ZOvxuSv2owXsUkhX8-hbG8ce7nsx_lTvVzpivgQCUtmodpR0VsCYdqxEJ01mk5aQ6OlQkxIotW0/s1600/Evening+Grosbeak_9486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1124" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjTGKpPtVMOAItmmc06A43JfTm5ifNoesg7BHmQwJTqLQVXIjUmsQvC_vNfxfz5J1ZOvxuSv2owXsUkhX8-hbG8ce7nsx_lTvVzpivgQCUtmodpR0VsCYdqxEJ01mk5aQ6OlQkxIotW0/s400/Evening+Grosbeak_9486.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Normally White-winged Crossbills are the easy crossbill to see in Manitoba but this winter was the winter of the Red Crossbill and I got to see multiple flocks, an unexpected treat. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0pEFiaFM2ARkBg-cGO7ynsI6X5vxCZCHO3TilfBUn8GYOWt7gIGNtO8ZJw68JrDDSr2uISdACgd4kZqG4dWyfQucBUdR7yIEvJCSdsc_7j_VY3kX5bhXl-4nVlD_S0IZeh6wyRwaFvg/s1600/Red+Crossbill_7789_pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0pEFiaFM2ARkBg-cGO7ynsI6X5vxCZCHO3TilfBUn8GYOWt7gIGNtO8ZJw68JrDDSr2uISdACgd4kZqG4dWyfQucBUdR7yIEvJCSdsc_7j_VY3kX5bhXl-4nVlD_S0IZeh6wyRwaFvg/s400/Red+Crossbill_7789_pair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-tB3O-aCgIdL1f2mlFTMUiC1RNSqkA14PunPH6tgggeJ_eKW_8qPC9sD7vqhKZ6hK4s_0o18t71-T0GrkHlXQ1hH-95rq1uc2jF_s1qxIS8qvB-DeYQifWiLe5hgzPUaYernbRP0EKw/s1600/Red+Crossbill_7824_pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-tB3O-aCgIdL1f2mlFTMUiC1RNSqkA14PunPH6tgggeJ_eKW_8qPC9sD7vqhKZ6hK4s_0o18t71-T0GrkHlXQ1hH-95rq1uc2jF_s1qxIS8qvB-DeYQifWiLe5hgzPUaYernbRP0EKw/s400/Red+Crossbill_7824_pair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABVqvzJ2PBJZvIetx3ho42CI_FBD3ZxPr8r0MtMVuBoVKtwORiqK183-N_NzTq-mHwPcchV8LXeZe9cLqKhUrVq5UDddM0Uwuco2XqdwiqGB1R5y3Mzo3oSrztk3BaI4T_Sz3cS5IdbA/s1600/Red+Crossbill_7831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABVqvzJ2PBJZvIetx3ho42CI_FBD3ZxPr8r0MtMVuBoVKtwORiqK183-N_NzTq-mHwPcchV8LXeZe9cLqKhUrVq5UDddM0Uwuco2XqdwiqGB1R5y3Mzo3oSrztk3BaI4T_Sz3cS5IdbA/s400/Red+Crossbill_7831.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAY9kaBTqSI9iHC9Fh8EWq4viipv2pvX94N-KEO1_Y1R3e-5bRjd62wAHGSNgLFVbnGoWEDPhUokr5-rVUI5MIfsp0hz6w923-stRjQhRjomM88kh65KxXX-DO1uwj0hqUdUO2n7D4Xts/s1600/Red+Crossbill_8552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAY9kaBTqSI9iHC9Fh8EWq4viipv2pvX94N-KEO1_Y1R3e-5bRjd62wAHGSNgLFVbnGoWEDPhUokr5-rVUI5MIfsp0hz6w923-stRjQhRjomM88kh65KxXX-DO1uwj0hqUdUO2n7D4Xts/s400/Red+Crossbill_8552.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And it wouldn't be a Manitoba winter blog post without a mention of the amazing Snow Bunting that has brightened so many a winter day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC8irrZ3tHt7IkN411hsOYIsmwbjJUSC0Wg3KjVkHy_2eZSTBpTo7CL-z7HUz83SJF6t-D0fIdkYfC69oUjCCArnHlg9ppBe-AHQa_5UqvWZ0RWAcFoKBsToHAjobifOfB8Dn0tDxiXs/s1600/Snow+Bunting_9704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC8irrZ3tHt7IkN411hsOYIsmwbjJUSC0Wg3KjVkHy_2eZSTBpTo7CL-z7HUz83SJF6t-D0fIdkYfC69oUjCCArnHlg9ppBe-AHQa_5UqvWZ0RWAcFoKBsToHAjobifOfB8Dn0tDxiXs/s400/Snow+Bunting_9704.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I ran out of time to look for other owls unfortunately but wanted to share these photos to say thank you to all the great friends who shared these moments with me! artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-47254144072011744082019-08-11T14:58:00.001-07:002019-08-12T09:42:24.918-07:00A few African OwlsA recent trip to Cape Town, South Africa and Tanzania enables me to add some African Owls to my blog. I will combine these with some photos I had previously posted from Cameroon for a round-of of African owls (though still far from complete) in rough taxonomic sequence.Unfortunately for me, there were several species of owl that I saw on these trips that I did not manage to photograph including Fraser's Eagle-Owl in Cameroon and Cape Eagle-Owl, Southern White-faced Owl and African Barred Owlet in Tanzania. <br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Barn Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto alba affinis</i>), Cameroon, © Christian Artuso</span><br />
The Tytonidae is represented by only three species on the African continent (another on Madagascar). <span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The first is none other than the <b>Barn Owl </b>(<i>Tyto alba</i>) and we start by showing one of the African subspecies <i>T. a. affinis</i> with a collage that shows a male and a female from Cameroon.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF0gWBLFg3qPU3mvdCb01whf5i_NSoQRPaj09xGNo05iJdT17l1KpL2V5XTvsvyhZTMymLOLK7WzMXVydpQja3ZQf5k4fCye0Ajqx-kbSL0U9MQuooQL06Y9Kpqxt5lX4UQjeYiDlZRE/s1600/Barn+Owl_affinis_male+and+female+dimorphism+combined+photo_Cameroon_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="945" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF0gWBLFg3qPU3mvdCb01whf5i_NSoQRPaj09xGNo05iJdT17l1KpL2V5XTvsvyhZTMymLOLK7WzMXVydpQja3ZQf5k4fCye0Ajqx-kbSL0U9MQuooQL06Y9Kpqxt5lX4UQjeYiDlZRE/s400/Barn+Owl_affinis_male+and+female+dimorphism+combined+photo_Cameroon_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">African
Grass-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto capensis</i>), Kiponzelo
swamp, Iringa, Tanzania, © Christian Artuso</span> <br />
The only other Tytonid owl I have managed to see in Africa is the <b>African Grass Owl</b> (<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto capensis</i></span>). Alas, I did not manage to get an in-focus photo as the bird flew by in the failing light so this is all I have to share. At least it shows the long legs characteristic of the grass-owls. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49v6Dv0DctykOsL-7d8K71YIFglSPQdkDyAIVmJonKbzaQNtyrgIgMg1dIE_dgYo5_uudG84iBuTKO8WsLVVuZ1pFCbiMVzBwQG1FnHjlyPM0VS-oPOvXW4edhofFWetQyxu4hI9-uLs/s1600/African+Grass-Owl_2317_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49v6Dv0DctykOsL-7d8K71YIFglSPQdkDyAIVmJonKbzaQNtyrgIgMg1dIE_dgYo5_uudG84iBuTKO8WsLVVuZ1pFCbiMVzBwQG1FnHjlyPM0VS-oPOvXW4edhofFWetQyxu4hI9-uLs/s400/African+Grass-Owl_2317_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">African Scops-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Otus s. senegalensis</span></span></i>), Cameroon, © Christian Artuso</span><br />
The "typical-owl" family (Strigidae) is much more diverse and is represented by 39 species in Africa. We start with the scops-owls of the genus<i> Otus </i>and I will break from the taxonomic sequence slightly to put the most widespread and common species first. This <b>African Scops-Owl </b>was roosting along a creek in northern Cameroon. This<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> habitat shot gives a little bit
of a sense of the roost preference of African Scops-Owl in dense
thickets in a low-lying wet depression (probably cooler microclimate).</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2546LnlsIi-jLlmEndFD7J0ByT7xrGnFPV-1GRZOYIp5mueUfYiRKVLhG-1oxU2T-6yqMN5-dreMWd5fP5w6NDKtNcKKt02WEu10qy5jWOTMUWcemIzMIcMqujbgjqf4BCY9OvCcEfCY/s1600/African+Scops+Owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1005" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2546LnlsIi-jLlmEndFD7J0ByT7xrGnFPV-1GRZOYIp5mueUfYiRKVLhG-1oxU2T-6yqMN5-dreMWd5fP5w6NDKtNcKKt02WEu10qy5jWOTMUWcemIzMIcMqujbgjqf4BCY9OvCcEfCY/s400/African+Scops+Owl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Sokoke Scops-Owl</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus
ireneae</i>), Kwa Mguni Forest, Tanga, Tanzania, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The beautiful <b>Sokoke Scops-Owl</b> is a
very small (approximately 17 cm in length) scops-owl (genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus</i>) that is endemic to eastern Africa
(a tiny area of coastal southeast Kenya and northeastern Tanzania). It is
listed as globally Endangered because of its very small population size and the
fact it is found in disjunct and fragmented areas of forest that are under
substantial threat of clearing. Most people see this species in the
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve in Kenya but I wanted to try to see it in Tanzania,
even though it seems few people do (for example, prior to my visit there were
no records in eBird in Tanzania). On the second night at Kwa Mguni Forest (a
published site for this species but an area few foreign birders ever visit), we
found a calling Sokoke Scops-Owl and managed to get record photos. We saw lots
of signs of recent clearing in this part of Tanzania (except in areas
controlled by the military) and recent evidence of illegal logging in the Kwa
Mguni forest (our guide from the local village was visibly upset to see this).
It made me realise that this poorly known species is probably hanging on by a
thread. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zSVbZPAvb-gcnwC4FMQaoeu45og_V_aMGhzJMjXhBlZBygXhlVRBXQht7OrzWEmRBYUAmWdCJMjSNspBruCS9at7_OKZAwVi7aTQCmuOFBl2SM0fYA8AfdRjaoCN7VdxmjqH1IuY7JY/s1600/Sokoke+Scops-Owl_9618_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zSVbZPAvb-gcnwC4FMQaoeu45og_V_aMGhzJMjXhBlZBygXhlVRBXQht7OrzWEmRBYUAmWdCJMjSNspBruCS9at7_OKZAwVi7aTQCmuOFBl2SM0fYA8AfdRjaoCN7VdxmjqH1IuY7JY/s400/Sokoke+Scops-Owl_9618_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Pemba Scops-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus
pembaensis</i>), Pemba, Tanzania, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The island of Pemba, off
Tanzania’s east coast and north of the island of Zanzibar, has four endemic
species: <b>Pemba Scops-Owl</b>, Pemba Green Pigeon, Pemba White-eye and Pemba
Sunbird. The chance to see an island-endemic scops-owl was enough to lure me
over to the island. It turned out the owls were not difficult to find, as I
easily saw five or six individuals along the edge of Ngezi Forest, one of the
few remaining forest patches on the island. This is a collage of two different
individuals. There is so little forest left on Pemba that this species is considered
globally Vulnerable; however, it can use some anthropogenically modified
habitat such as spice farms where trees such as clove and cinnamon are
grown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV_iexjZeSdbzJvi4eAZAn2fIWDiMAthBmANj8B_4WYxFHNuhGnSa0qz-XPKcM4clZu-vHw8dZZ6DrW85BwjBe_mdN36YbGC94iufH59GOLMM3T7bpwZ_CapNU-cQPGXG5OzwvWVJbVo/s1600/Pemba+Scops-Owl_comp_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1341" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV_iexjZeSdbzJvi4eAZAn2fIWDiMAthBmANj8B_4WYxFHNuhGnSa0qz-XPKcM4clZu-vHw8dZZ6DrW85BwjBe_mdN36YbGC94iufH59GOLMM3T7bpwZ_CapNU-cQPGXG5OzwvWVJbVo/s400/Pemba+Scops-Owl_comp_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="color: red;"><b>Northern White-faced Owl</b></span> (<i>Ptilopsis leucotis</i>) Waza National Park, Cameroon<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">, </span></span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">© Christian Artuso</span> </span></span><br />
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The White-faced Owls were once considered to be one species but are now
usually treated as two species: <b>Northern White-faced Owl</b> (<i>Ptilopsis
leucotis</i>) and Southern White-faced Owl (<i>P. granti</i>). They are well known
for their very distinctive facial pattern and are now usually placed in a
genus of their own “<i>Ptilopsis</i>”, a<span class="text_exposed_show">lthough this was not always the case. They are only found in Africa. The first photo shows the
underpart pattern and the second shows the back. The distinctiveness of this particular owl (combined with
the symbolism of all owls) was apparently the big selling feature for
the strangest wildlife photography sale I have ever made—to be used on
the cover of a romance novel (if you don’t believe me, see: <a data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.ca%2FLove-Gone-Mamie-Walker-Cowser%2Fdp%2F1608623513%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1423709019%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dlove%2Bgone%2Bawry%26fbclid%3DIwAR1GBiWOe08rDB_AXgvDBvZRGh5-r5P8DNcgBf-bNJEscwZUCRXhLYjA1Lc&h=AT1BW6x1YDW5UCRYyV38jEY7_L0rVrxvklDrVs-phEKauhdPGHtGL4R5lpxjNCBe1I2_GZpyD4JVL7Sbv5q59r8iQ18yR6j8iVRz8ykhAt_8m-PFs6PhviY9D_Mz55P5ehaKfI9maw" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Gone-Mamie-Walker-Cowser/dp/1608623513/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423709019&sr=8-1&keywords=love+gone+awry&fbclid=IwAR1GBiWOe08rDB_AXgvDBvZRGh5-r5P8DNcgBf-bNJEscwZUCRXhLYjA1Lc" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.ca/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Love-Gone-Mamie-Walker-Cows<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>er/dp/1608623513/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>709019&sr=8-1&keywords=lov<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>e+gone+awry</a>)
– a lot different from the books my owl photos usually are used for!
To see more abut the owling trip where I saw these bird see: <a data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fartusobirds.blogspot.ca%2F2009%2F02%2Fcameroon-6-nightlife.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2k1p9RUiArqCAof_ga1HFQtg1-ZA1hDMn8bEYBrphVrkR1x__JymAjGB4&h=AT2KPJ_zLot0ILHhc5OFU7FJkZM1e5qTNWKNRPl00WOQVPTHtum1coL0viSA-v-ZJcnAc-gnZLxRTeMtchQypWPou4eEQFwV8i7EzvfV2VTrJHHQwpuUrUdV6C8epTljw9Ne1oAuvw" href="http://artusobirds.blogspot.ca/2009/02/cameroon-6-nightlife.html?fbclid=IwAR2k1p9RUiArqCAof_ga1HFQtg1-ZA1hDMn8bEYBrphVrkR1x__JymAjGB4" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>artusobirds.blogspot.ca/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2009/02/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>cameroon-6-nightlife.html</a></span></span></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiD9Vfd_QGksX9zJaa2fgDCRqeAgwrmiGChWvFJXsSfDgo7kECL0B6SEfTx-2rCQCsVgsd9MeW0qmwZvi9MHPbRCrdvqAdjRuyALGuujhZuvfr3zCb85u4c5MvjO_2nVNIZwvPtLgbU0/s1600/Northern+White-faced+Owl_9883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="955" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiD9Vfd_QGksX9zJaa2fgDCRqeAgwrmiGChWvFJXsSfDgo7kECL0B6SEfTx-2rCQCsVgsd9MeW0qmwZvi9MHPbRCrdvqAdjRuyALGuujhZuvfr3zCb85u4c5MvjO_2nVNIZwvPtLgbU0/s400/Northern+White-faced+Owl_9883.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9h5bkuEaJUk9zh7rkafktqXYfylNb4FRHgefN-665FxnS03q6THXBLF_hHCbR0RnAYwXVbKk4cr_QVSB0Cii3sHxxcDqqTIyX5WbS1ZM3nva6iq20rrfxUobgUcGwI9ZszXyTORtGHU/s1600/Northern+White-faced+Owl_u_Waza+NP+Cameroon_October_Artuso_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="985" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9h5bkuEaJUk9zh7rkafktqXYfylNb4FRHgefN-665FxnS03q6THXBLF_hHCbR0RnAYwXVbKk4cr_QVSB0Cii3sHxxcDqqTIyX5WbS1ZM3nva6iq20rrfxUobgUcGwI9ZszXyTORtGHU/s400/Northern+White-faced+Owl_u_Waza+NP+Cameroon_October_Artuso_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Spotted Eagle-Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubo africanus</i>), Cape Town, South Africa, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The Spotted Eagle-Owl is a
widespread and common African <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubo</i>
(eagle-owl) species, found in a variety of woodlands and savannah types across
sub-Saharan Africa. There are also Spotted Eagle-Owls on the Arabian peninsula,
which may be a separate species. I was delighted to find three roosting birds
in the </span>Kirstenbosch<span class="st"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span></span></span><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">National Botanical
</span></span>Garden in Cape Town, South Africa (in part thanks to a
friendly tip from grounds staff) but they offered such splendid views in the
early morning as they settled in at their roost sites that I had a hard time
choosing which photos to share… nothing for it but to make an album with two photos
of them in the golden hour, one of a bird from the back shortly after it flew
in to join its mate and one of a bird preening later in the day and, finally a
shot of the pair together<i>.</i> </div>
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="color: red;"><b>Greyish Eagle-Owl</b></span> (<i>Bubo cinerascens</i>), Waza National Park, Cameroon </span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">© </span>Christian Artuso</span></span></div>
The Greyish eagle-owl is similar to Spotted eagle-Owl but found across central Africa and west Africa. This series shows one hunting on the ground for insects in savannah habitat. The last photo shows one perched in a tree.<br />
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="color: red;"><b>Verreaux's Eagle-Owl </b></span>(<i>Bubo lacteus</i>), </span></span></span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Cameroon </span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">© </span>Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The
<b>Verreaux's Eagle-Owl</b>, also known as Giant Eagle-Owl and
Milky Eagle-Owl from Sub-Saharan Africa measures 60 – 65 cm, making it
among the largest owls in the world (after congenitors Eurasian
Eagle-Owl and Blakiston’s Fish-Owl and arguably after others like Great
Gray Owl). One of the most distinctive feature of this species is their
pink eyelids offset by dark eyelashes that s<span class="text_exposed_show">how
well in this photo. Despite the owl’s large size, their pink eyelids
create a gentle almost coquettish expression. I took these two photos at Ngoundaba Ranch in northern Cameroon. </span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Usambara Eagle-Owl </span></b><span style="color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><i>Bubo vosseleri</i></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">), Amani Nature Reserve, Tanga, Tanzania, © Christian Artuso</span></span> </div>
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I am not quite sure why the Usambara Eagle-Owl was one of the African birds I most wanted to see, so finding one perched quietly in the Amani Nature reserve was certainly a highlight! Not even a passing truck could ruin the excitement. Although a forest species, this owl will come out to the forest edge to hunt, and, on this night, one was perched beside the road that runs through the reserve. This is a collage I made of three photos of the same individual. Some taxonomists consider this to be a subspecies of Fraser's Eagle-Owl (Bubo poensis) but most consider it a Tanzanian endemic species, only found in the country’s eastern Mountains (Usambara and Uluguru Mountains). Regardless of taxonomy, it is certainly vulnerable to forest clearing in its tiny range.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Pel's Fishing-Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scotopelia peli</i>), Magombera Monkey Forest, Morogoro, Tanzania, ©
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The three species of
fishing-owls in the uniquely African genus genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scotopelia</i> are all amazing and fascinating. The <b>Pel’s Fishing-Owl
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waterways and tall forest or mangrove. I made a special trip to the Magombera
Monkey Forest to look for this owl. It was well worth the trip as, in addition
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learn how to live with elephants in rural areas, seeing this beautiful owl on a
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">African Wood-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strix
woodfordii</i>), Tanzania and South Africa, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The <b>African Wood-Owl</b> is a striking
species with a somewhat maned appearance created by the dark hood. I am going
to post two photos from two countries: one of a bird roosting in
bamboo from South Africa and this bird, one of four that frequented the Emau
Hills camp sites in eastern Tanzania. This photo of a singing bird (I believe
this is a male based on voice) shows off the distinctive plumage well,
including the “hood”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a
widespread African species is, interestingly enough, the only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strix </i>species found south of the Sahara
and the only endemic African <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strix </i>species
(Desert Owl and Tawny Owl each occur in only a northern corner of Africa;
Desert Owl in a tiny part of Egypt and Tawny Owl in the extreme northwest).
This individual from northeastern Tanzania should be the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nigricantior </i>subspecies, which is said to be darker overall;
however, subspecifics are poorly defined in both description and distribution
and not especially meaningful (some have suggested that the African Wood-Owls
from the coastal forests of Kenya and perhaps neighbouring Tanzania may be
better treated as a different subspecies). </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Pearl-spotted Owlet </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glaucidium perlatum</i>), Cameroon and Tanzania, © Christian Artuso<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa,
the <b>Pearl-spotted Owlet</b> is the most widespread pygmy-owl (genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glaucidium</i>) on the continent and
arguably the most diurnal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This first
photo, of two I will post, shows a day-active Pearl-spotted Owlet in northern
Cameroon being mobbed by a Senegal Eremomela (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eremomela pusilla</i>) and other passerines. Like other pygmy-owls
(which typically go by the name of “owlet” in the Africa and Asia but
“pygmy-owl” in the Americas and Europe), this tiny owls (many are less than 20 cm
in length) are fierce and capable of taking prey larger than themselves. They
seem to evoke fear in all manner of small birds!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> The
second photo shows a night-active Pearl-spotted Owlet in<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tanzania. I was a little surprised to find
several of these small owls hunting at night in the arid parts of southern
Tanzania since my previous encounters with them had all been by day. </span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Marsh Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asio capensis</i>), South
Africa and Tanzania, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">There are six species in
the genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asio</i>, with a fairly
elongated body and ear-tufts of varying sizes (from very short as in
Short-eared Owl to very long as in Long-eared Owl). The <b>Marsh Owl</b> is endemic to
the African continent (including Madagascar) and is a bird of grasslands and
marshlands (similar to Short-eared Owl in that aspect). Again thanks to some
generous information from locals, I was able to observe this bird hunting at
dusk in Cape Town. For most of the time, the Marsh Owl was fairly far away from
where I was standing at the edge of the wetland/grassland but it one point it
flew in my direction and then dove into the grass, apparently catching
something, although I could not see what. This series shows the Marsh Owl
flying to the area where it had detected something, the plunge, and then the
bird’s head sticking out of the grass. The last photo shows another bird I saw at dusk in a montane wetland/grassland in southern Tanzania. </span><i><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></i></div>
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This ends this feature on African owls. It will obviously take several more visits to come anywhere close to a more comprehensive treatment. <br />
<br />artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-9229247829697521642019-08-02T13:32:00.002-07:002019-08-02T13:32:31.467-07:00CBC Radio’s Weekend Morning show - Saturday 3rd August<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Friends, I will be on the CBC Radio’s Weekend Morning show tomorrow
(Saturday) at approximately 08:50 am to talk about my experience in Manitoba.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be tough because in just 7 or 8
minutes I have to try to cover the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas, Golden-winged
Warbler conservation, the Manitoba Important Bird Area Program, the Manitoba
Chimney Swift Initiative, the Manitoba Nocturnal owl Survey, Delta Marsh Bird
Observatory, the Breeding Bird Survey locally, the Nature Manitoba Bluebird
Fund, the Species At Risk partnership on Agricultural Lands, community pastures
and grassland outreach and conservation, the Prairie Conservation and
Endangered Species Conference,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
International Shorebird Survey, First Nations outreach and collaboration, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the COSEWIC Bird Specialist Subcomittee work,
hundreds of workshops delivered and over two million dollars raised for
conservation and, ESPECIALLY, all the great people, from keen youth, students
and trainees to partners, collaborators, government folk, over a thousand
volunteers of all stripes <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and all who
put their nose to the grindstone and rolled up their sleeves for birds and
their habitats… little bit daunting actually… sure I’m going to forget
something!</div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-3536260722365090642019-01-19T09:46:00.003-08:002019-05-06T10:31:41.747-07:00Owls of Sulawesi and satellite islands<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am just back from a trip to the island of Sulawesi
and several small satellite islands, where I saw 13 owls species, which I will introduce in this post using</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> loose taxonomic order, so
we start again with the “barn owl” family (Tytonidae).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The <b>Sulawesi Masked Owl</b>
was the first of the endemic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto</i>
owls I saw. It is found more or less throughout the island (this photo from
central Sulawesi) and on some smaller islands (I will do a separate post of one
of the island subspecies that I found interesting). This is a large and dark <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto</i> owl (can reach 51 cm) with powerful
talons. You can see in this photo that the hints of gold in the plumage are
rather limited and the central crown is grey despite a golden wash on the neck
sides. Very little is known about this species, even basic information on its diet
and nesting is rather lacking. Like so many <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto
</i>species, the <b>Sulawesi Masked Owl</b> has some affinity with caves and one of
the few known nesting records was in a sea cave near Tangkoko (others in tree cavities). This species occupies
a wide variety of habitat types, from forests to rural areas and even grassland
interspersed with trees but is less of a true forest owl than the Minahassa
Masked Owl (below). </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The individual in the photo below was seen in rather open wooded
area near the village of Sedoa in central Sulawesi at approximately 1250 m ASL.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5098cXla1CxTgJJJxqU1TxyO2J47HHH5AotdsLsMHBktXyx3Swnj0R76PK1QLDTPQog3sw_jncuAN5nNMJvAuRZL7yHGX-cgC68BvnrL-_B4O-ueaY9ICrVvja8z_nmqjs5mBN4bS-E/s1600/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_5429_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5098cXla1CxTgJJJxqU1TxyO2J47HHH5AotdsLsMHBktXyx3Swnj0R76PK1QLDTPQog3sw_jncuAN5nNMJvAuRZL7yHGX-cgC68BvnrL-_B4O-ueaY9ICrVvja8z_nmqjs5mBN4bS-E/s400/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_5429_Artuso.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sulawesi
Masked-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tyto r. rosenbergii</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">),
central Sulawesi, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">T</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pelengensis</i> race of the <b>Sulawesi Masked
Owl</b>, from the islands of Banggai and Peleng, is very poorly known and seldom
seen. It was an extraordinary privilege to see one by night and one by day with
the help of Alpian Maleso. It appears MUCH
smaller than the nominate race of <b>Sulawesi Masked Owl</b>, which took me so much by
surprise that I thought I was looking at a Minahassa Masked Owl for a second
(but a few features such as the less dense feathering on the lower tarsi tipped
me off, not to mention the fact that Minahassa Masked Owl is not supposed to
occur on these islands). </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Given that there is an endemic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto</i> on the island of Taliabu, the Taliabu Masked Owl (which was the
one owl species on that trip that I saw but did not manage to photograph), and
that there are some commonalities between Peleng/Banggai and Taliabu (Sula
Islands), this taxon deserves more detailed
study. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvc6TC-zOq1gl5OXOTcpWaNM3BmnigCtXrv4mBTZvt3DtdftHiCduBXG5MG3CNoI9CkWFMeKyb_jQ5G5WsiFY1xsWvJ2C88F-HNzlBt6rD8W-Q6Hkq7V4XAuewio_rF8k1JRj84xuFuc/s1600/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_5700_pelengensis_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="769" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvc6TC-zOq1gl5OXOTcpWaNM3BmnigCtXrv4mBTZvt3DtdftHiCduBXG5MG3CNoI9CkWFMeKyb_jQ5G5WsiFY1xsWvJ2C88F-HNzlBt6rD8W-Q6Hkq7V4XAuewio_rF8k1JRj84xuFuc/s400/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_5700_pelengensis_Artuso.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67gx80GoM7HSIGSoe9-hEr6TEO1RkQCWzgmaacz2Cfeu4yMjhEZQpnQfUsqbWhHGf5RdknaP8d6lAaf6JrUB7cDAndPvaCNRy-fBwe-b6LNTVIKvoxjXoPNzQ_tg3PI5Q2qDspM_NKSU/s1600/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_6112_pelengensis_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67gx80GoM7HSIGSoe9-hEr6TEO1RkQCWzgmaacz2Cfeu4yMjhEZQpnQfUsqbWhHGf5RdknaP8d6lAaf6JrUB7cDAndPvaCNRy-fBwe-b6LNTVIKvoxjXoPNzQ_tg3PI5Q2qDspM_NKSU/s400/Sulawesi+Masked+Owl_6112_pelengensis_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sulawesi
Masked-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tyto rosenbergii pelengensis</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), Peleng
Island, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso. </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Rare, poorly known, a
deep forest (rainforest) species that is range restricted, bring confined to
the northern peninsula of Sulawesi, known as the Minahas Peninsula, plus a
small portion of the central region around Lore Lindu National Park, the
Minahassa Masked Owl is listed as globally <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vulnerable
</b>to extinction. It is similar in appearance to the Sulawesi Masked Owl but
much smaller in size with a rounder and smaller facial disk with a pink wash,
as well as a golden colour in the central crown (compare the previous photos of
Sulawesi Masked Owl with its grey central crown despite gold on the neck sides).
This enigmatic owl is highly sought after by naturalists who visit Sulawesi,
though rarely seen. Once in a while, the numerous guides at Tangkoko know of a
roost site and lucky observers get to see it that way. For myself, and most
visitors, however, this typically proves one of the toughest of the Sulawesi
endemics to see. Fool that I be, I was visiting in the rainy season and no
roost of any owls were reliable (not even the common species). After three nights
alone in the Tangkoko forest, with not so much as a peep, I finally heard a
Minahssa Masked Owl near 4 am on my third night. The unmistakable, incredibly loud hiss came after
I had been hiding out from the rain in a fallen, hollow tree and managed to get
bites all over my legs from some unknown chigger-like creature. What followed
was an intense 30 minutes of me trying to tip-toe through the rainforest,
without using my headlight, towards the sound until the beast called a second
time. At that point, I miraculously managed to find it perched in the subcanopy
for a couple of precious minutes. The small size and heavily feathered, golden
legs were obvious right away and, when that round, pinkish face, with golden
crown, turned into view, all that discomfort and sleep deprivation were soon
forgotten! Along with the Taliabu Masked Owl, this was the trip’s biggest
highlight.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QwBZ9Ll55etoykZPD_WuZLcTjXWOc6H3_sNcgLvqR9PyDI5FY_xac4XXhXYEvDdGqIsTdQXREXw80p_pCCwAbh5iGJsj5NE0XN8Jy7l0USQYtQeH7jUcIHzYjxp5ZAGJ8CYE6vKW4Tc/s1600/Minahassa+Masked+Owl_0374_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QwBZ9Ll55etoykZPD_WuZLcTjXWOc6H3_sNcgLvqR9PyDI5FY_xac4XXhXYEvDdGqIsTdQXREXw80p_pCCwAbh5iGJsj5NE0XN8Jy7l0USQYtQeH7jUcIHzYjxp5ZAGJ8CYE6vKW4Tc/s400/Minahassa+Masked+Owl_0374_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Minahassa
Masked-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto inexspectata</i>), northern Sulawesi,
Indonesia, © Christian Artuso (Note: I have used IOC spelling but the region
name and the species name are spelled “Minahasa” by Birdlife International and
others).</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Since I did not manage to
photograph the Taliabu Masked Owl, the only remaining <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto</i> to post about is the <b>Eastern Grass-Owl</b>, also known as the
Australasian Grass-Owl. This species found from Australia, through New Guinea,
Sulawesi, the Philippines and other islands, all the way to parts of China and
India, though absent in many intervening areas. The name Australasian Grass Owl
may seem odd; however, this owl seems more common in the Australasian parts of
its range and I have always struggled to see it in Asia. This large and
long-legged <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto</i> is a denizen of
grasslands, vegetated wetlands, and other areas with tall grass or grass-like
vegetation (this can include some cropland such as cane fields). I thoroughly
enjoyed watching this owl sail over the rice paddies of the Napu Valley in
central Sulawesi at dusk. You can see how the toes project well beyond the tail,
the long legs presumably a useful adaptation for a predominantly
ground-dwelling species in grassy habitats. In that sense, the grass owls (Eastern
Grass Owl and African Grass Owl) have something in common with the Burrowing
Owl of the Americas, though they are much larger. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This <b>Eastern Grass Owl </b>was too far away and
the light too dim for good photos but, nonetheless, this was an especially
sweet experience as I had not managed a photo of this species when I saw it in
the Philippines. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf07-Kaj2dazlaInWpPE0oipzQcw_b6G1A5xxMrNN-BgKGHnFCOCgIlC4WaAykikY-lR3mbcwPIqTsCbQDD1dsRiLREBNHl6hxgXgNi3XzvGf2JQ_aYTyf6I0ZtPlzVp3KlDks8IZw0u0/s1600/Eastern+Grass+Owl_4234_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1124" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf07-Kaj2dazlaInWpPE0oipzQcw_b6G1A5xxMrNN-BgKGHnFCOCgIlC4WaAykikY-lR3mbcwPIqTsCbQDD1dsRiLREBNHl6hxgXgNi3XzvGf2JQ_aYTyf6I0ZtPlzVp3KlDks8IZw0u0/s400/Eastern+Grass+Owl_4234_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eastern Grass Owl
</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto longimembris</i>), central
Sulawesi, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"></span></b></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">From the barn
owl family (Tytonida), we move to the typical owl family (Strigidae). The Otus
owls are very common in Asia but as one moves east into the Australasian realm
they decrease in diversity. There is typically only one species (often endemic)
on the islands of “Wallacea” / eastern Indonesia. There are no <i>Otus</i> owls that
regularly occur on mainland Australia or the main island of New Guinea,
although one species is endemic to a small island off western New Guinea called
Biak. Sulawesi has its endemic Otus owl, not surprisingly called Sulawesi Scops
Owl. Some of Sulawesi's satellite islands and the islands east of Sulawesi (the
Moluccan Islands or Maluku) are also home to an <i>Otus</i> species. It is only
fitting I start with the <b>Sulawesi Scops Owl</b>, which comes in two colour morphs
(brown and rufous), this being a brown morph from the Tangkoko area. This
species is quite common throughout the island of Sulawesi from sea level to at
least 2500 m ASL.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxCXavEwClEL0rlJPmzEeA0zNY_U-UwogLBR4LlMoJWmS5pkYRC_p-xLufwndhM2AQ2mjTe7l9HezGyNY7NMR7VMdV-Q5JDHSO7IBLPzsUucaKMe9ZtEJXPeXhyphenhyphenBI3aYfsbW2LWEtIzU/s1600/Sulawesi+Scops+Owl_0239_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxCXavEwClEL0rlJPmzEeA0zNY_U-UwogLBR4LlMoJWmS5pkYRC_p-xLufwndhM2AQ2mjTe7l9HezGyNY7NMR7VMdV-Q5JDHSO7IBLPzsUucaKMe9ZtEJXPeXhyphenhyphenBI3aYfsbW2LWEtIzU/s400/Sulawesi+Scops+Owl_0239_Artuso.jpg" width="262" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sulawesi
Scops-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus manadensis</i>), northern
Sulawesi, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></span> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"></span></b></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Although considered a full species
by some taxonomists, the <b>Banggai Scops Owl</b> is listed as a subspecies of Sulawesi
scops by the IOC. It is nonetheless smaller with a different call and other
differences. It is IUCN red-listed as Vulnerable to extinction because the
population is thought to be very small. If you accept it as a species then it
is confined to one or two islands, Peleng Island and probably also Banggai Island. Peleng has suffered considerable habitat loss, which is part of the
concern for this species. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLPq7TLIgTQU1sL1N7k1hmibFI7v-NBytU2PbHCW4ouinXTkTmKcCMRK2vJ0QdlENQ7DE63JlHvkLymUQUyFqiPr6X4dcA5hlgo7PjvObUVuz8MYQEipLwXbd6_mmDtwtfGj5IedjIbk/s1600/Banggai+Scops+Owl_5618_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLPq7TLIgTQU1sL1N7k1hmibFI7v-NBytU2PbHCW4ouinXTkTmKcCMRK2vJ0QdlENQ7DE63JlHvkLymUQUyFqiPr6X4dcA5hlgo7PjvObUVuz8MYQEipLwXbd6_mmDtwtfGj5IedjIbk/s400/Banggai+Scops+Owl_5618_Artuso.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Banggai Scops-Owl
</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus </i>[<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">manadensis</i>]<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> mendeni</i>), Peleng
Island, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The small island of Sangir
Besar (largest island in the Sangihe Island group) is less than 600 km<sup>2</sup>
square and roughly half way between Sulawesi and the Philippines. It is home to
some unique (endemic) species including this scops owl, many of which are
highly endangered. There are many small island endemic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus</i> species, so the fact that one lives solely on this tiny island is not surprising. The <b>Sangihe Scops Owl </b>is also known by the
name Sangir Scops, which is technically a better name since there is, or at
least was, another <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus</i> species in
the Sangihe group on the island of Siau (possibly extinct). As the <b>Sangihe Scops Owl </b>seems able to use a variety
of habitats including secondary growth and human-altered habitats, it is not on
the brink of extinction like some of the other Sangir endemics.</span></div>
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSRAJAsBhBachR1Mq-PRdcWw2EbA0vDQSd3NoO0IhmRxB0KgMnPVJCJ9n9Ua0vi1ahyphenhyphenbTr9yJMQN4xbk_aQat-ZA6R9YJqvLkS_o6rVUnb120WXC3BiSA-2kvX_kOZ9-tkuER_UkTT8s/s1600/Sangihe+Scops+Owl_8662_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSRAJAsBhBachR1Mq-PRdcWw2EbA0vDQSd3NoO0IhmRxB0KgMnPVJCJ9n9Ua0vi1ahyphenhyphenbTr9yJMQN4xbk_aQat-ZA6R9YJqvLkS_o6rVUnb120WXC3BiSA-2kvX_kOZ9-tkuER_UkTT8s/s400/Sangihe+Scops+Owl_8662_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sangihe Scops-Owl
</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus collari</i>), Sangihe
Island, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>The <b>Sula Scops Owl</b> is a
little bit of a mystery. It is treated in some taxonomies as a subspecies of
Sulawesi Scops Owl but it is strikingly different to that species in voice and
morphology (several authors have suggested that it is probably most closely
related to the Moluccan Scops Owl). Many taxonomies, including the IOC, now
give it full species status. As the name suggests, it is endemic to the island
group called the Sula Islands, being found on </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Taliabu, Seho, Mangole, and possibly
also on Sulabes (my sources conflict on whether it occurs on Sulabes or not). The <b>Sula Scops Owl</b> is smaller than the Sulawesi
Scops Owl with a deeper colour, smaller ear-tufts and other differences,
especially the calls. This photo was taken near the village of Binadessa on the
island of Taliabu. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ToajtMiYquS3BmtttBTKa3Nqg20aUCqQb3GQ52d2sH6wcwfn5PQsReVx4pG5X6Rxzy8NYoWrl6L4cNmNZPZ67VpUQBaFkepaET-W3H0G3q7qf51vhD-sLUWMdKygSL0wcRO1Uu-D60s/s1600/Sula+Scops+Owl_6406_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ToajtMiYquS3BmtttBTKa3Nqg20aUCqQb3GQ52d2sH6wcwfn5PQsReVx4pG5X6Rxzy8NYoWrl6L4cNmNZPZ67VpUQBaFkepaET-W3H0G3q7qf51vhD-sLUWMdKygSL0wcRO1Uu-D60s/s400/Sula+Scops+Owl_6406_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sula Scops-Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus sulaensis</i>), Taliabu Island,
Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span><br />
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In addition to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus</i> scops owls, the other important
genus of owls on Sulawesi and its neighbouring small islands is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The owls of the genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> are often called “boobooks”, an </span><span class="ilfuvd"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">onomatopoeiac</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> word describing the
two-syllable call of the Southern Boobook, although many members of this genus
have similar disyllabic calls. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>
genus owls also get referred to as “hawk owls” (in names as the Brown Hawk Owl <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox scutulata</i>), although they are not
closely related to the Northern Hawk Owl (genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Surnia</i>). Some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox </i>owls
do have a bit of a hawk-like appearance; especially the large ones with a weak
facial disk (see my earlier posts on the Powerful Owl and the Barking Owl). The
genus<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Ninox</i> has a mostly Australasian
and Southern Hemisphere distribution (a few reach Asia and the Northern
Hemisphere) and is the only genus of typical owls (Strigidae) that occurs
regularly in Australia. There are three <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>
species on Sulawesi (some would say possibly a fourth, which I will discuss
later) and one on a satellite island. </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The <b>Ochre-bellied
Boobook</b> is a Sulawesi endemic but it has a somewhat patchy distribution on the
strangely shaped island. There are sightings on some of the small islands as
well. It seems to prefer dense, moist forest types and because of its
restricted range, seemingly small population, and somewhat narrow habitat
requirements (making it vulnerable to logging), it is considered “Near
Threatened”.</span></span></div>
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</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVi1gWwYa-9d1J1vnKeFvBKoaaQRUBlHuizJA4BxngTqEP2cmBJhjRYsCf9VUH0ldmUDqCbm3UfvY7BmnjOxXRo7s5N0EkoSEpaJ16qzaX-Lgtr8HqJxvgySKCk9gsyVA3iCO0h7TDyo/s1600/Ochre-bellied+Boobook_9022_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVi1gWwYa-9d1J1vnKeFvBKoaaQRUBlHuizJA4BxngTqEP2cmBJhjRYsCf9VUH0ldmUDqCbm3UfvY7BmnjOxXRo7s5N0EkoSEpaJ16qzaX-Lgtr8HqJxvgySKCk9gsyVA3iCO0h7TDyo/s400/Ochre-bellied+Boobook_9022_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ochre-bellied
Boobook </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox ochracea</i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), northern
Sulawesi, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The <b>Cinnabar Boobook</b> is even more
range restricted than the Ochre-bellied Boobook, occurring only above 1,000 m
ASL and in isolated mountains on the northern peninsula (Minahas Peninsula) and
then, maybe, in isolated mountains of central and southern Sulawesi. I say
“maybe” because the undescribed taxon in central and southern Sulawesi has some
mystery surrounding it, i.e. it remains unclear if it is a subspecies of
Cinnabar Boobook or, some have argued, perhaps a separate species. I will post
three photos northern Cinnabar Boobook below (from Gunong Ambang) and then one from
central Sulawesi (Lore Lindu). The first photo shows a pair of Cinnabar Boobooks on
a day roost (a very lucky find) and then two night photos are added (one showing the underparts).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
most interesting thing about the four owls I saw at Gunong Ambang (two by day,
two by night) was the very obvious white spots or scalloping on the underparts
(when seen by day and by night). Most photos of the northern birds show limited
white spotting on the underparts, certainly much less white spotting than this!
In fact, the presence of white spots on the underparts is said to be one of the
differences of the central Sulawesi birds, but my experience contradicted this.
Due to its very restricted range and apparent rarity (it was only described to
science in 1999), the <b>Cinnabar Boobook</b> is listed as globally Vulnerable to
extinction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrNKluLvH_1oKC8Riki4GvOzE8wc2gg2C1_IyZVfeW2EQCAyHXGY927578r_Wnxlcy8j6FLJaJlRbWiGrzINRXdpG4K2IMEQFg-d8hpiDQoFO1mLLgZ4yDw5j8YlkReXrQmVT01qyYZ4/s1600/Cinnabar+Boobook_1168_pair+at+roost_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1124" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrNKluLvH_1oKC8Riki4GvOzE8wc2gg2C1_IyZVfeW2EQCAyHXGY927578r_Wnxlcy8j6FLJaJlRbWiGrzINRXdpG4K2IMEQFg-d8hpiDQoFO1mLLgZ4yDw5j8YlkReXrQmVT01qyYZ4/s400/Cinnabar+Boobook_1168_pair+at+roost_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPD3N5Ta1T2t4WW_dW1NpxWWy7DMtssI8GcwSViZ6eLxq7umbfxC-tPikbvrKNdhXENxYzWBKLEKhK6fhuEaGWGs2GKdPMeUr_MWZ3kEiw53B562uLjBln_X5Qa8nGooY9mLsbUi9Fiw/s1600/Cinnabar+Boobook_0652_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPD3N5Ta1T2t4WW_dW1NpxWWy7DMtssI8GcwSViZ6eLxq7umbfxC-tPikbvrKNdhXENxYzWBKLEKhK6fhuEaGWGs2GKdPMeUr_MWZ3kEiw53B562uLjBln_X5Qa8nGooY9mLsbUi9Fiw/s400/Cinnabar+Boobook_0652_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPzDjB8cvH2f8pl-oXKUfDLi12rjJqrpqq0iQzgR7NutBuQF3yh0mztIN3d8Dodo635RP3ODifohMIjNaS6ZbxK6ME4OAo1xMw1VD9whB5ATL4XxMU0dVsuKJbME867yDyQfu3Xw7ngQ/s1600/Cinnabar+Boobook_0601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPzDjB8cvH2f8pl-oXKUfDLi12rjJqrpqq0iQzgR7NutBuQF3yh0mztIN3d8Dodo635RP3ODifohMIjNaS6ZbxK6ME4OAo1xMw1VD9whB5ATL4XxMU0dVsuKJbME867yDyQfu3Xw7ngQ/s400/Cinnabar+Boobook_0601.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Cinnabar Boobook </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox ios</i>), northern Sulawesi,
Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The undescribed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> owl of the highlands of central Sulawesi that looks and
sounds very much like the Cinnabar Boobook is referred to as the “<b>White-spotted
Boobook</b>” because the underparts are supposed to have more white than the
northern peninsula birds. For this reason, I was especially keen to see this
owl at Lore Lindu and when I did I was pleased to note the white-scalloped
underparts as shown in this photo. I heard and saw this owl before I went to
northern Sulawesi and thought little of it. When I went to Gunong Ambang and
heard the Cinnabar Boobook there, it sounded identical to my ears to the owls
at Lore Lindu, both a gruff, soft <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tok-tok</i>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that seemed soft but was probably far
carrying. Others have said that the call of these two is not quite the same but
I could not discern any differences (maybe it needs a spectrogram). After I
heard the Cinnabar Boobook at Gunong Ambang, I managed to see it. I was
surprised that the boobooks here had more extensive white spotting than this
bird from Lore Lindu. I don’t really have a good explanation for this other
than individual variation. I was visiting Sulawesi in the rainy season when
very few birders go, but a seasonal plumage change seems highly unlikely.
Perhaps I saw aberrant individuals in both case but, if so, there was more than
one of each. I did some online searching and found photos that show a range of
plumage in northern Cinnabar Boobooks from almost unspotted to rather “scalloped”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes me think these owls are rather
variable. I have read that the white-spotted form also has a more prominent
white supercilium than the northern form but that did not seem to be the case
(perhaps because they were so high in the canopy at Lore Lindu that I was
unable to see the supercilium properly). Comments certainly welcome from those
with more experience with these taxa….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnpx40k1So8qvkrvhWUg6CGYJPsrMzJuqILty0O77ekQFvcO49Z7XZTABAarPBrHkwXY6ze32ggUHEBQPZKulqsAXPrbfmh0X8A-_fi-LlneJ1Gbo_6avwxv12bdlHabTtrndWfpX6tg/s1600/Cinnabar+boobook_5390_white+spotted_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnpx40k1So8qvkrvhWUg6CGYJPsrMzJuqILty0O77ekQFvcO49Z7XZTABAarPBrHkwXY6ze32ggUHEBQPZKulqsAXPrbfmh0X8A-_fi-LlneJ1Gbo_6avwxv12bdlHabTtrndWfpX6tg/s400/Cinnabar+boobook_5390_white+spotted_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“white-spotted” Cinnabar
Boobook </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox ios</i>), central Sulawesi, Indonesia,
© Christian Artuso</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The <b>Speckled Boobook</b> is
an intriguing species, not least <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">because of its hilarious, slow-building, maniacal call
that is so different from the disyllabic call of most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> owls. Have a listen at <a href="https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ninox-punctulata">https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ninox-punctulata</a>
for a good chuckle! Speckled Boobook also seems to be the </span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox </i>species with truly dark eyes.
There is some variation in the eye colour of Speckled Boobooks, from dark brown
to a lighter brown and some texts like Handbook of Birds of the World say even
to orange-yellow (but none of the photos I have found show orange-yellow eyes).
The White-browed Owl of Madagascar has dark eyes and used to be placed in the
genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>, but is now considered an
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Athene</i>. Brown eyes do also occur in
some other species such as the <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Moluccan Boobook, but this may be age dependent, and the
Russet Boobook has orange-brown eyes</span>. Some
subspecies of widespread <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>
species may show variation in eye colour, e.g., some subspecies of Southern
Boobook have somewhat brownish eyes, though most are yellow. In short, the
<b>Speckled Boobook</b> may not be completely unique in this aspect but it is unusual.
This is a widespread Sulawesi endemic, found on most of the island except high
elevations. It seems to be able to utilise rather open forests and
human-altered habitats more than the other endemic<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Ninox</i> species of Sulawesi that I posted about previously and is
not considered threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXL3A7McQBHaB-Bj66Ylvd8c-Pc74qpS1EtDY_VpUSxZsg7v4n35Y5a4MiyPUO-VDyabrczaKxaqeY-ZQLSPhcR5_hr4sphQaSbKGVCynzjY3FU3xBRlSPTKS_I0YVYpMu0cAfYkYOkU/s1600/Speckled+Boobook_4902_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="677" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXL3A7McQBHaB-Bj66Ylvd8c-Pc74qpS1EtDY_VpUSxZsg7v4n35Y5a4MiyPUO-VDyabrczaKxaqeY-ZQLSPhcR5_hr4sphQaSbKGVCynzjY3FU3xBRlSPTKS_I0YVYpMu0cAfYkYOkU/s400/Speckled+Boobook_4902_Artuso.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Speckled Boobook (</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ninox punctulata</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), central Sulawesi,
Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>The Togian Islands in the Gulf of
Tomini (created by Sulawesi’s strange “armed” shape) have a few endemics of
their own, despite their proximity to the main island. One of these is the
<b>Togian Boobook</b>, a beautiful <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> owl
found on at least three islands in this group (Malenge, Togian and Batudaka),
that was first described to science in 2004. The ferry schedule permitted me
only one night on Batukada so I had to make the most of it. Fortunately for me,
several of these owls were calling that night and they seemed to be in both the
forested area and farmland edge. I still consider myself lucky to have spotted
this individual at dusk. This species is considered Near-threatened, mostly
because of its tiny global range and concern over ongoing deforestation in the
islands (even if Batukada and Togian were made into a national park in 2004,
there still seems to be a lot of clearing going on).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeVlZ3-NtxUzdXYTo-R5W4F8U_lI8_nMDTJYK4PurBWWMkhzU5tp8896n8MYGEYWb1Z4E8PLyMz7CwXtMhm-mv3nAFklUPdRsj71dAMi-uRGjoKwpN5F4XvD27uvJpu910Y7Wwj23vFI/s1600/Togian+Boobook_8047_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeVlZ3-NtxUzdXYTo-R5W4F8U_lI8_nMDTJYK4PurBWWMkhzU5tp8896n8MYGEYWb1Z4E8PLyMz7CwXtMhm-mv3nAFklUPdRsj71dAMi-uRGjoKwpN5F4XvD27uvJpu910Y7Wwj23vFI/s400/Togian+Boobook_8047_Artuso.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Togian Boobook </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox burhani</i>), Batukada Island,
Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">An unexpected bonus on
my night hike on </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Batukada
Island was spotting this perched <b>Northern Boobook </b>at the forest edge out of the
corner of my eye. This bird was not calling, which is not surprising because this
species is a winter visitor to this part of Indonesia, breeding in eastern Asia
(eastern Russia, China, the Korean peninsula and Japan). As such, it is the
northernmost member of its genus! The <b>Northern Boobook</b> was only recently split
from the extremely similar Brown Hawk Owl (or Brown Boobook). It is perhaps the
only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> owl with a true migration,
although the Tasmanian Boobook may also migrate north to mainland Australia (it is still not clear if this is a dispersal or a true migration).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7FngOKeEhJusiZobCcj2WoG-McFQ3m-U9KxqOjKXT4UmU64pYH0RZkjBBYbJ1CI5a3Hf9buu6m9PHeLNDFb7YUnRLlgAgL2IvHpwhNomvEZbkGPRj6aGTTOGrs5BmdCiO4pOkH9Ahu0/s1600/Northern+Boobook_8090_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7FngOKeEhJusiZobCcj2WoG-McFQ3m-U9KxqOjKXT4UmU64pYH0RZkjBBYbJ1CI5a3Hf9buu6m9PHeLNDFb7YUnRLlgAgL2IvHpwhNomvEZbkGPRj6aGTTOGrs5BmdCiO4pOkH9Ahu0/s400/Northern+Boobook_8090_Artuso.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Northern Boobook </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox japonica</i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), Batukada
Island, Indonesia, © Christian Artuso.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
hope you enjoyed this introduction to the owls of Sulawesi!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-46026717675314749252019-01-10T17:14:00.001-08:002019-01-10T17:14:26.297-08:00Owls of Australia<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I am just back from a
trip to the island of Sulawesi and several small satellite islands, where I saw
13 owls species. On the way, I had a brief stop-over in Australia and managed
to see 5 owl species with help from friends. So, I have 18 owl species to write
about, starting with five from down under! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The <b>Sooty Owl</b> complex is a little bit of an ornithological riddle. Some
authorities consider it to be one species, others two species: “Greater” and
“Lesser”, and still others have suggested that it may warrant treatment as
three species with the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">arfaki </i>subspecies
of New Guinea probably being distinct. Still others have suggested that the
taxon from New Guinea might be more closely related to the Lesser Sooty Owl of
northern Queensland, despite being more similar in appearance to the Greater
Sooty Owl. Whatever taxonomy you follow, Sooty Owls are certainly
unique-looking – sooty grey all over with fine white spots! Sooty Owl(s) are in
the Barn Owl family (Tytonidae), which reaches its peak diversity in
Australasia (at least in our current era). The Sooty Owls are not easy to see
since they inhabit rainforest for the most part so I was happy to get a
glimpse, even if the resulting photo is poor quality:</span></span><br />
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Sooty Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto tenebricosa</i>),
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The <b>Australian Masked-Owl</b>
is another Barn Owl family (Tytonidae) member and, as its name suggests, it is
endemic to Australia. Interestingly, this species comes in at least two morphs,
from pale grey and white (like the youngster shown here) to a rich
buff/chestnut. This is a forest-dwelling<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
Tyto</i> owl, typically associated with tall forests that rather open in
structure, although a variety of habitat types are used (the individual shown
here is in an introduced conifer species). These tall (mature) forests of
course have trees which provide large enough cavities for nesting, a critical
resource (on a continent where no woodpeckers occur to make them), although
nesting in caves and on cliffs has also been recorded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zv1j3vehgaqQPZXLsv6_dxFJlodaJbzyFDaGhVEtgG6SwAckOlftwDKUTnfL9GiDiz9994qWSq6RiPEHJKZOjV1O08qdoR9yj1-2Do876arc6sjAyYxWZVHyVEvDfjazLTPVaIkY5SQ/s1600/Australian+Masked+Owl_2877_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zv1j3vehgaqQPZXLsv6_dxFJlodaJbzyFDaGhVEtgG6SwAckOlftwDKUTnfL9GiDiz9994qWSq6RiPEHJKZOjV1O08qdoR9yj1-2Do876arc6sjAyYxWZVHyVEvDfjazLTPVaIkY5SQ/s400/Australian+Masked+Owl_2877_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Australian
Masked-Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto
novaehollandiae</i>), Queensland, Australia, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">From the “barn owl”
family, we switch to the typical owl family (Strigidae) and to a genus of
typical owls with a mostly Australasian and Southern Hemisphere distribution
(although a few reach Asia and the Northern Hemisphere). The owls of the genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> are often called “boobooks” (an </span><span class="ilfuvd"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">onomatopoeiac</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> word describing the
two-syllable call of the <b>Southern Boobook</b>, although many members of this genus
have similar disyllabic calls). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>
is the only genus of typical owls (Strigidae) that occur regularly in
Australia. I found this pair of Southern Boobooks hanging around a cavity in a
suburb of Sydney, as you can see in the second photo (one advantage of my habit
of getting up at 4 am). The <b>Southern Boobook</b> is a common species found in much
of Australia, southern New Guinea and on several islands in eastern Indonesia
(Wallacea). There are at least 10 subspecies, considerable variation in colour
and even call, and no taxonomic consensus on where species boundaries within
the complex might occur. Like so many owls of the Southern Hemisphere, a lot of
research is needed to clarify its status. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DsO4fZPHLG1WthhKphjnGYGi31Wya238XA59dNnVU3nVirbKHUF4Q_X3rRAO18x2TiFXkxASKMn46f2u4QpysmC46yuNsDG0YybGHVms7kVyZkSM3linkbh895xdTDBAcDgv6aAywTU/s1600/Southern+Boobook_7999_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="678" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DsO4fZPHLG1WthhKphjnGYGi31Wya238XA59dNnVU3nVirbKHUF4Q_X3rRAO18x2TiFXkxASKMn46f2u4QpysmC46yuNsDG0YybGHVms7kVyZkSM3linkbh895xdTDBAcDgv6aAywTU/s400/Southern+Boobook_7999_Artuso.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5hT_tx62hv-S5hYazhYryk3t1L6HoTg4RbI2gpIFXNjxktzMyiPQKbT6KCeo5JdeS5AV4XGgXL1gzLiQ25___6ox1ruyPkh0eBP-MejCCGS6uALizv7z8ce0wbLptCMY8bhTgOzEXeQ/s1600/Southern+Boobook_8004_cavity_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="744" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5hT_tx62hv-S5hYazhYryk3t1L6HoTg4RbI2gpIFXNjxktzMyiPQKbT6KCeo5JdeS5AV4XGgXL1gzLiQ25___6ox1ruyPkh0eBP-MejCCGS6uALizv7z8ce0wbLptCMY8bhTgOzEXeQ/s400/Southern+Boobook_8004_cavity_Artuso.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Southern Boobook</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox novaeseelandiae</i>), New
South Wales, Australia, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">I had only one day in
Melbourne between flights and was fortunate to connect with PhD student Nick
Bradsworth for an afternoon check on some of the <b>Powerful Owl</b>s that he monitors
as part of his PhD research This was an absolutely fantastic chance to learn
about this spectacular species. I did however have a hard time choosing which
photos to post of the eight <b>Powerful Owl</b>s that we saw in just a couple of
hours. Of the four <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i> species that
make their home in mainland Australia, the Powerful Owl is the only endemic (if
you treat Tasmanian Boobook as a separate species from the Morepork of New Zealand,
which the IOC does not, then it too would be an Aussie endemic; plus there is of
course the Christmas Islands Boobook that is endemic to Christmas Island,
politically part of Australia but closer to Java). The <b>Powerful Owl</b> is also the
largest species in the genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>,
reaching a massive 65 cm and 1.7 kg, and approximately the seventh largest
extant owl species in the world (this depends on whether you consider weight or
linear measurements). Unusual among owls in general, male Powerful Owls are
larger than females, with a squarer head shape. Males are also larger than
females in the Rufous Owl and the Barking Owl. Nick explained one hypothesis of
why males are larger than females in the <b>Powerful Owl</b>, viz. that their larger
size is important for capturing and lifting large and heavy prey items (that
can be delivered to the female outside the nest or at the entrance), whereas
smaller body size in females gives them greater access to tree cavities for
nesting (since larger size would limit the cavities that can be used and
thereby reduce availability of an important resource). Certainly, the<b> Powerful
Ow</b>l has to be one of the largest owl species that habitually uses “enclosed”
tree cavities for nesting (although there are a few records of them nesting in
broken-off stumps, as is common in species like the Great Grey Owl). The
elongated shape of the Powerful Owl with a rather small head is also
fascinating. There is a selection of males (larger, squarer head), females and
white juveniles of various ages (darker with age) in the photos below: </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissH_Tb5YSEi0DfHlfo2xMaN1nqi7hdSmOWMWl06k3-tQLn1ZH2TCBJ5ZFzRvjHYMAgKatolmTbGkBdfBz_cbTKH9AWeBL8iFjRj8C0XoN26dyrO0__53TlwXZwOJRzhqFMct6K_DwB3Y/s1600/Powerful+Owl_2507_pair_roost_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="761" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissH_Tb5YSEi0DfHlfo2xMaN1nqi7hdSmOWMWl06k3-tQLn1ZH2TCBJ5ZFzRvjHYMAgKatolmTbGkBdfBz_cbTKH9AWeBL8iFjRj8C0XoN26dyrO0__53TlwXZwOJRzhqFMct6K_DwB3Y/s400/Powerful+Owl_2507_pair_roost_Artuso.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGbqMYuyvI-7hXVymPq5G38vsDS9D7tVySdrWBT75YTgE6Av7FGZm-NW06ErT3yfonr-wxu-SmTLv0zpcD6zZhVRiE2H9HiKh_EL_FMG8wCR4xpZPye0RkUKMQU16OAjSSk6xFi3jBZY/s1600/Powerful+Owl_2636_ad_juv_roost_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGbqMYuyvI-7hXVymPq5G38vsDS9D7tVySdrWBT75YTgE6Av7FGZm-NW06ErT3yfonr-wxu-SmTLv0zpcD6zZhVRiE2H9HiKh_EL_FMG8wCR4xpZPye0RkUKMQU16OAjSSk6xFi3jBZY/s400/Powerful+Owl_2636_ad_juv_roost_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Powerful Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox strenua</i>), Victoria,
Australia, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The Barking Owl, so
named for its gruff call, is quite a large <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox</i>
species (though noticeably smaller than the Powerful Owl) that can reach 44 cm
and 700 g. Like the Powerful Owl, it also has a rather elongated shape, small-looking
head and a minimal (barely discernable) facial disk. It is resident in parts of
Australia, New Guinea and the </span><span class="sp-ssp"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moluccan </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Islands
of Indonesia. The weak facial disk (and symmetrical ears) suggests that eye
sight is used more than hearing in hunting. This is because the stiff feathers
of an owl’s facial disk are very good at channelling sound to the ears. The
Barking Owl is known to consume many insects, and to hunt them </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">by grabbing them
in flight by sallying out from a perch (they also catch other flying prey such
as bats in this manner).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> The also take many beetles and other invertebrates on the ground. Not
at all common in many parts of its Australian range, I was delighted to have
this change to observe one roosting on a low branch and study its unique
structure. I was also impressed by the crispness of the white spots on the
wings. </span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox connivens</i>), Queensland,
Australia, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-7292568397478197262018-08-30T16:59:00.001-07:002018-08-30T17:04:50.264-07:00American Barn Owl in Vancouver<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the highlights of my recent visit to Vancouver for the International
Ornithological Congress and the COSEWIC (Committee On the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) Bird Specialist Subcommittee meeting
was seeing 10 <b>Barn Owls</b>. My international friends may be surprised by this
because <b>Barn Owls</b> are common globally, and American Barn Owls are also common
on this continent. Most of Canada, however, is beyond the range of the species.
The only two areas where <b>Barn Owls</b> occur regularly in Canada are in southern
Ontario (the eastern population is almost extirpated and listed as Endangered
in Canada) and southwest British Columbia (listed as Threatened in Canada).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This magnificent <b>Barn Ow</b>l (three photos below) on a day roost (presumably
a female based on colouration and the size and extent of spotting), glowing red
in the smoky air wafting over the city from northern forest fires, left a
lasting impression on the whole committee. Note how powerful the talons of
these owls, so useful is dispatching large rodents, are:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(American) Barn Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto alba pratincola </i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OR</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
Tyto furcata pratincola</i>), British Columbia, Canada, © Christian Artuso.</span></div>
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-90337164123077777722018-08-06T11:07:00.003-07:002018-08-06T11:20:50.825-07:00Northern Hawk Owls (Surnia ulula) and their young<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Northern Hawk Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Surnia ulula</i>), adults and fledglings,
Manitoba, Canada, © Christian Artuso.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although
the <b>Northern Hawk<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Owl</b> is a common
species in Manitoba and I have seen as many as 43 in a single day, it is not
all that often that I get to enjoy watching a family interact. The past two
years though have brought great opportunities to observe pairs with 2 – 4
young. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here are two photos of one of the breeding pairs, hunting to bring food for their young. This pair brought in two voles in less than 15 minutes during this observation. As the second photo shows, they are not too proud to perch on wires if these provide a good vantage over a prey-rich meadow. They are also mostly diurnal (these photos in the early morning). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8c_V5WWIdyJMWIKbqo243Wand-DB4K9lrwngHtGuq0vTvjsEQhj9MHYKURBiAGPSbzkLPG3YpwKwa3N3-12rzW-dxEFXx-DQYvp3KT4fof4A-JqEQ01iUZ2Lcl2UeH9uaCt-ScDvOMs/s1600/01+Northern+Hawk+Owl_1889_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1126" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8c_V5WWIdyJMWIKbqo243Wand-DB4K9lrwngHtGuq0vTvjsEQhj9MHYKURBiAGPSbzkLPG3YpwKwa3N3-12rzW-dxEFXx-DQYvp3KT4fof4A-JqEQ01iUZ2Lcl2UeH9uaCt-ScDvOMs/s400/01+Northern+Hawk+Owl_1889_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycYdhhgRc-M-536pPEhCO3m75wTTuWRnHLSLfk4sh8_YOQvZnIY_KzOTX8ZxVcfYHsxngiD68PBJKIll3XqwSiHqB3tIgddNcd3NqB2SC_zS82JuY1k-fir2j0JxHC4yuo1zGtWH6_wU/s1600/02+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2924_Christian+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1124" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycYdhhgRc-M-536pPEhCO3m75wTTuWRnHLSLfk4sh8_YOQvZnIY_KzOTX8ZxVcfYHsxngiD68PBJKIll3XqwSiHqB3tIgddNcd3NqB2SC_zS82JuY1k-fir2j0JxHC4yuo1zGtWH6_wU/s400/02+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2924_Christian+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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And here are the two youngsters this pair was feeding (another pair recently had four hungry mouths to feed). You can see that they are quite well developed but they still sport a little down on teh top of the head.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO31I3UQqzJqVny6D2Ay7VB8qzrr4-Ax8i4ct3d08McXXrnxw413GQwfwhpLBPVHnTlrYVi5t1W0IhpG4RZOfDyEUOb8QVJr02rOcDP96JcE8DP1U0jk1VuaPfh-oQuw5Qw0wEGsgmnIw/s1600/03+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2309_2+juvs_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO31I3UQqzJqVny6D2Ay7VB8qzrr4-Ax8i4ct3d08McXXrnxw413GQwfwhpLBPVHnTlrYVi5t1W0IhpG4RZOfDyEUOb8QVJr02rOcDP96JcE8DP1U0jk1VuaPfh-oQuw5Qw0wEGsgmnIw/s400/03+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2309_2+juvs_Artuso.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
A better look at each of the two youngsters as they shuffled perches (photos are taken from a distance and heavily cropped) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I8EOdQ0DnEk9xb1V7UiVvsYKxpuI5R3zr2zTOMIEuwaiNQXXC8AfLo5oQEoigr7bAuI2FSHNjiXLArraLRIZ90VppJbhmg6Uk8vQH4RclOf0fNHxcXoJVltvL72c0aNmYdp5d4IhyphenhyphenQQ/s1600/04+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2253_juv_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I8EOdQ0DnEk9xb1V7UiVvsYKxpuI5R3zr2zTOMIEuwaiNQXXC8AfLo5oQEoigr7bAuI2FSHNjiXLArraLRIZ90VppJbhmg6Uk8vQH4RclOf0fNHxcXoJVltvL72c0aNmYdp5d4IhyphenhyphenQQ/s400/04+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2253_juv_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbQA6smHvZoUvm38OlUuQdV_IarqthQ0RIbg_U99ukVxc08ywkL8GOM5QNklami7fQV0KxnJ3RSYQu_qdxny02xdW-_U5-rIOJV2AsgRavtyMCZkes95GsISpz7eSk_m_rGARLCMHl2A/s1600/05+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2420_juv_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbQA6smHvZoUvm38OlUuQdV_IarqthQ0RIbg_U99ukVxc08ywkL8GOM5QNklami7fQV0KxnJ3RSYQu_qdxny02xdW-_U5-rIOJV2AsgRavtyMCZkes95GsISpz7eSk_m_rGARLCMHl2A/s400/05+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2420_juv_Artuso.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqViVRDYs0gXip8cPqDEd6oCAMNsCoZYaAVsnp12_S-HQWpvoB3JQ4QFwdd8Fk_5S73PQ6i_BSfdhoAwza2SFT6DiEVARVR8BILVDuUSkI23iAH06o3-8VEeN69zqI_prsWlDUGbsmfxg/s1600/06+Northern+Hawk+Owl_1859_juv_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqViVRDYs0gXip8cPqDEd6oCAMNsCoZYaAVsnp12_S-HQWpvoB3JQ4QFwdd8Fk_5S73PQ6i_BSfdhoAwza2SFT6DiEVARVR8BILVDuUSkI23iAH06o3-8VEeN69zqI_prsWlDUGbsmfxg/s400/06+Northern+Hawk+Owl_1859_juv_Artuso.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijz5bErIlImpI5uBy7LvwRRMKnTRgwCVMcmqMmgMGvE1UBMk6-_QkwVxZ8CSVZH_MzWNrZN2QuOXd_2rHF8Lr-he55ag_i4AyvZv_cTzMxKlR9gEQdA-SlaL068RaGsTszUEtPGU8Tw_A/s1600/07+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2904_juvenile_Christian+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijz5bErIlImpI5uBy7LvwRRMKnTRgwCVMcmqMmgMGvE1UBMk6-_QkwVxZ8CSVZH_MzWNrZN2QuOXd_2rHF8Lr-he55ag_i4AyvZv_cTzMxKlR9gEQdA-SlaL068RaGsTszUEtPGU8Tw_A/s400/07+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2904_juvenile_Christian+Artuso.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<br />
I got lucky to catch this youngster in mid call, not long after it had been fed a vole (I was not quick enough to photograph the prey delivery, which was over with in a matter of seconds). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuKJbVLwmKhTxuW3gYda_1yI4Fu29V2vMNGOc5i2kgO6jzYf8k0P4JIyn7Nfvf2fq5MEg3bDupXSjPLMoAy4prbsKnsbRWppY-EH79F1jPfIhbb2Qx6G1eOE8Yq3C_EQVBbKWTbTAoy8/s1600/08+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2842_juv_calling_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuKJbVLwmKhTxuW3gYda_1yI4Fu29V2vMNGOc5i2kgO6jzYf8k0P4JIyn7Nfvf2fq5MEg3bDupXSjPLMoAy4prbsKnsbRWppY-EH79F1jPfIhbb2Qx6G1eOE8Yq3C_EQVBbKWTbTAoy8/s400/08+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2842_juv_calling_Artuso.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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And here are two photos of a youngster taking off when the adult came in with a vole. One short call from the adults and the youngster flew approximately 50 m to an open perch where the prey was delivered.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYthIv4MmeJu6926OK83UWFUVTCBDnK-8JTjuA6VWr5HXyq6k3dC1i9xeW_6LpaQ9HStq20ViAaWcGpDW4xJAODjhBwOKH0PiINRBAzGAmx8tD-bb5z7wTAfETdeIfrMWZja79FdsyIQ/s1600/09+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2003_juv_flight_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYthIv4MmeJu6926OK83UWFUVTCBDnK-8JTjuA6VWr5HXyq6k3dC1i9xeW_6LpaQ9HStq20ViAaWcGpDW4xJAODjhBwOKH0PiINRBAzGAmx8tD-bb5z7wTAfETdeIfrMWZja79FdsyIQ/s400/09+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2003_juv_flight_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoC-BV4TPnleYfcGQmfM7jM7hZfy2lApHYT9_k39C13gDl91BmxmayoDuqQ-3SsfnpWYviAzkvoB_OroIRB4VcfGfcBFi4IlugoAcoEha-4xZ68BvjimSrV_TY4t5slyspJ2vBknoEcU/s1600/10+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2082_juv_flight_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoC-BV4TPnleYfcGQmfM7jM7hZfy2lApHYT9_k39C13gDl91BmxmayoDuqQ-3SsfnpWYviAzkvoB_OroIRB4VcfGfcBFi4IlugoAcoEha-4xZ68BvjimSrV_TY4t5slyspJ2vBknoEcU/s400/10+Northern+Hawk+Owl_2082_juv_flight_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another Northern Hawk Owl in a different location was observed in an interesting behaviour, flicking its tail up and down. There were small passerines in the area and this seemed to incite mobbing behaviour. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybL1q79AAtPBAgX2XOj5bF1z8DTQk053k_I34iPYRK1WTtrxp96FdLIuKnokyvCCu4GNUqX4ibyZL2-vSsLNsknwoVeKgKpxSK8ctobC-BNU4bCESfJO4DjFjFbVb4cfj9uOiN49DXd4/s1600/11+Northern+Hawk+Owl_3027_cocking+tail_Christian+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybL1q79AAtPBAgX2XOj5bF1z8DTQk053k_I34iPYRK1WTtrxp96FdLIuKnokyvCCu4GNUqX4ibyZL2-vSsLNsknwoVeKgKpxSK8ctobC-BNU4bCESfJO4DjFjFbVb4cfj9uOiN49DXd4/s400/11+Northern+Hawk+Owl_3027_cocking+tail_Christian+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Enjoy! </span></div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-91899510579448648442018-08-06T06:19:00.001-07:002018-08-06T06:20:31.646-07:00Owls and vehicles<b>Slow down, you move too fast...</b><br />
<br />
Owls fly low and slow. They have evolved that way over millions of
years and it serves them well for hunting. Their adaptations for silent
flight not only offer them stealth, they also allow them to use their
exceptional hearing in mid-flight, either by hovering over a sound made
by a prey unseen or cruising slowly over meadows to detect the rustlin<span class="text_exposed_show">g
of prey. These fine-tuned adaptations have worked for millions of
years… and then came roads and the motor vehicle. Roads dissect habitat
and owls must often cross them. Owls may be attracted to roadsides as
the ditches and grassy verges provide good hunting opportunities in
certain contexts. Automobiles travel faster and are more ubiquitous than
anything the owls have had to contend with over their millions of years
of evolution. The results can be quite devastating. Our species
desperately needs to learn to slow down for life! </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
are interested in this topic, there are studies trying to determine roadkill
hotspots (in order to devise prevention strategies) such as:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-015-0465-5"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-015-0465-5</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ibi.12593"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ibi.12593</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://www.cesam.ua.pt/files/Gomes_etal_2008%20owls_2008.pdf"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.cesam.ua.pt/files/Gomes_etal_2008%20owls_2008.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0079967"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0079967</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://dspace.uevora.pt/rdpc/bitstream/10174/21237/1/Thesis_FINAL_CORRECTED.pdf"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://dspace.uevora.pt/rdpc/bitstream/10174/21237/1/Thesis_FINAL_CORRECTED.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
would like to participate, there are several iNaturalist projects documenting roadkill,
in order to assist with such analyses, such as:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkill"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkill</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkills-of-texas"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkills-of-texas</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/wildlife-diseases-morbidity-and-mortality"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/wildlife-diseases-morbidity-and-mortality</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/italian-road-mortality"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/italian-road-mortality</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkill-s-afr"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/roadkill-s-afr</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://inaturalist.ca/projects/wildlife-on-roads-in-ontario"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://inaturalist.ca/projects/wildlife-on-roads-in-ontario</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<b>Long-eared Owl</b> (<i>Asio otus</i>), roadkill, July 2018, Manitoba Interlake, Canada.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwGmUTeje3V8nz9qgdsl5MdWRP8ZFfzjBECbxRbHIA0V8jx30ZjH1qOoUnVGpuFKVEWBKHf9V1J53uSFya5ClCP3qB8Q3WRVf-wsMD10hWPWvqoN6cHkSUNkjxWLXaMEEJdkGJFWxpzc/s1600/Long-eared+Owl_2947_roadkill_Christian+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1124" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwGmUTeje3V8nz9qgdsl5MdWRP8ZFfzjBECbxRbHIA0V8jx30ZjH1qOoUnVGpuFKVEWBKHf9V1J53uSFya5ClCP3qB8Q3WRVf-wsMD10hWPWvqoN6cHkSUNkjxWLXaMEEJdkGJFWxpzc/s400/Long-eared+Owl_2947_roadkill_Christian+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-51465407984336718542018-07-04T15:23:00.001-07:002018-07-04T15:23:18.044-07:00On the vision of Barn Owls<br />
“<i>Humans are not so different from birds as you may think</i>”: <br /> Yoram Gutfreund, neuroscientist at Technion Israel Institute of Technology.<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
A new study <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/science/owls-vision-brain.html"> https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/science/owls-vision-brain.html</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>shows that Barn Owl use “higher level processing” in visual perception
(as do humans and chimpanzees, although in a different part of the
brain). I thought this worth sharing after other discussions on the similarity
of owl vision to human vision.<br />
<br />
Yoram Gutfreund is speaking
about visual perception in the above quote; however, it sums up other
recent findings about animals and how they perceive the world more
broadly, including the concept of animal cognition. I find humans to be
extremely resistant to any notions of comparability with animals, even
despite, for example, the growing body of evidence regarding the
intellectual abilities of “bird brains” and increasingly convincing
evidence of “theory of mind” in animals (once perceived as a uniquely
human trait and still vehemently denied by some who cling to the notion
of human superiority). I think this is why this type of study and this
finding, which seems somewhat "obvious" perhaps, is new and previously
little investigated.<br />
<br />
To illustrate this post, I am sharing my
photo of three immature Barn Owls (<i>Tyto alba tuidara</i>) exploring their world in a rural yard in
southeastern Brazil. This photo was taken shortly after dusk using the
existing lights of the farmyard and a single flash bounced off the
building and underexposed (i.e. weak and indirect lighting). We found
the owls by chance by their calls and we left the area quickly to allow
the parents to feed them uninhibited but I was delighted to meet the
welcoming homeowner and to learn that he appreciated having the owls
around (as Barn Owls are not welcome everywhere - see other posts with the label "owls" for more on that topic). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSxTRLqjvis9DK29eo8zpQ3rrx3Nbrqo145Kj5j7JKgvfaGzfQYSsOviLTLjZqKsAveqXP1Y50evc95oqZe96VPdZBwVQUrxeusJb8jwpsQ4rU9pbXSO9b4PEWL5JMoWTrbvqU4S6S54/s1600/Barn+Owl_9345_immature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="601" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSxTRLqjvis9DK29eo8zpQ3rrx3Nbrqo145Kj5j7JKgvfaGzfQYSsOviLTLjZqKsAveqXP1Y50evc95oqZe96VPdZBwVQUrxeusJb8jwpsQ4rU9pbXSO9b4PEWL5JMoWTrbvqU4S6S54/s400/Barn+Owl_9345_immature.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-21357771365510174622018-05-11T05:03:00.002-07:002018-05-11T05:04:58.937-07:00Shorebird workshop, International Migratory Bird Day, Oak Hammock, May 12thIf you are interested in shorebirds, join us at Oak Hammock Marsh on May 12th for this workshop:http://www.oakhammockmarsh.ca/events/international-migratory-bird-day/<br />
<br />
Here are a few to start with (try to identify them before you read the subscript):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CWy2N87RrQt00LxONGSwbC-o_Btgnny_F17IHUxKk5-qcFGWPc6uU6bVUvJkM9I4HQZn_OCZwEcgYagsXclsihCLCZwiRRuRy-DaPDYySlKuqlUmMcjIp92Xs4KS3ZT6Xs3dRmAc7LI/s1600/Marbled+Godwit_5603_preening_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="689" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CWy2N87RrQt00LxONGSwbC-o_Btgnny_F17IHUxKk5-qcFGWPc6uU6bVUvJkM9I4HQZn_OCZwEcgYagsXclsihCLCZwiRRuRy-DaPDYySlKuqlUmMcjIp92Xs4KS3ZT6Xs3dRmAc7LI/s400/Marbled+Godwit_5603_preening_Artuso.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70rmxvhVopjfIh89nl0Lr2Z1qTYTibfswakf5Eu8UFKclvGZuCQphje19iHiIPgUZ9n4qdV1HoYZh73toDCzWbdKNJeZhbCBjKFxpuldTGY9WcvRyJUaCsFc_kQ71CG-0Z2H0-m40-wY/s1600/Willet_5979_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70rmxvhVopjfIh89nl0Lr2Z1qTYTibfswakf5Eu8UFKclvGZuCQphje19iHiIPgUZ9n4qdV1HoYZh73toDCzWbdKNJeZhbCBjKFxpuldTGY9WcvRyJUaCsFc_kQ71CG-0Z2H0-m40-wY/s400/Willet_5979_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-37041200059842912882018-04-08T12:21:00.000-07:002018-04-08T12:22:32.731-07:00Year of the Bird.... and YOU!All are welcome to this free presentation on April 24th at the Millennium Library: https://importantbirdareasmb.ca/2018/03/29/upcoming-event-manitoba-important-bird-areas-program-talk-the-millennium-library-in-winnipeg/<br />
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<br />artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-91732228786176001252018-03-22T20:08:00.003-07:002018-03-22T20:08:54.061-07:00Bird Studies Canada VideoHere is a little part of my history but a big part of who I am in one very short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6DRIaHi07A&feature=youtu.beartuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-28416662121586591612018-03-04T15:54:00.001-08:002018-03-04T15:54:26.254-08:00Tuesday March 6th talk on Manitoba's FlycatchersJoin me on Tuesday March 6 at 7:30 pm, at Kelvin High School, Room 31 for a workshop on Manitoba’s flycatchers. There is a fee of $5 for Nature Manitoba members, $10 for non-members (students: $3 for members, $5 for non-members): http://naturemanitoba.ca/workshops/dirty-dozen-manitoban-tyrants . In the meantime, how many of the flycatchers in this title slide can you identify?<br />
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<br />artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-80054426847829594412018-02-24T12:56:00.001-08:002018-02-24T12:57:33.970-08:00A note on Boreal OwlsThere have been at least seven Boreal Owls seen in southern Manitoba
recently so we thought it worth a note to the group. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to ask people to be extra cautious
with a Boreal Owl in a seemingly “exposed” roosting<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>position and not to intervene (these owls
need to conserve energy and they sit tight until nightfall, which people
sometimes misinterpret as a sign of illness). A longer version of this message
is provided below (for those who would like more detail):<br />
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Some of the seven Boreal Owls found recently were hunting at feeders
(one managed to take a Eurasian Collared-Dove), and a few were injured or
deceased (perhaps roadkill).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that
were measured were males. The general area of sightings has ranged from Carman
to Ashern but, for obvious reasons, we are not posting the locations in any
public forum (remember Manitobabirds is viewable by anyone including
non-members). The great popularity of owls these days can be to their
detriment. </div>
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These Boreal Owl records are not unexpected near the end of a harsh
winter. This is presumably a product of this species’ unique “partially
migratory” strategy, i.e. females typically move away from the breeding grounds
but males try to hold onto their territories as long as reasonably possible
(gives them a spring head-start). When the food supply in the boreal forest gets
thin, some of these males are forced to leave their territories and they can
end up in cities and towns, especially those reasonably close to the southern
edge of the boreal forest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many such
visits are short and the owl moves on in a day or two looking for a new food
source. </div>
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Some of these owls find themselves in proximity to people, pets and
roads (vehicles) and hence at risk. They may appear to roost or perch in
“ridiculous” places but these are chosen for reasons such as for sunning, mild
heat sources (light, vent or other), wind breaks, and/or proximity to a food
source or cached prey. Sadly too often the greatest risk to these owls is people’s
good intentions, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">i.e.</i> people wrongly assume
they are ill and try to catch them and bring them in. An owl on or near the
ground is one of the most common reasons people try to intervene but there are
many good reasons for owls to be on or near the ground (mantling prey or
sometimes even “defrosting” prey is one reason and the thermoregulatory reasons
discussed above may also bring them low down). Some owls allow close approach
but people do not understand the stress such approach causes or the huge risks
to small owls if they take flight in the daytime and why they are so reluctant
to do so (see: <a href="http://artusobirds.blogspot.ca/2014/12/signs-of-stress-in-owls.html">http://artusobirds.blogspot.ca/2014/12/signs-of-stress-in-owls.html</a>).
If you do find an owl that you feel is behaving oddly, please don’t intervene but
call first. An experienced and trained eye can judge the best course of action.
In the vast majority of cases, the very best thing is to leave the owl its
space (obvious exceptions would include an owl recently struck by a vehicle). </div>
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We welcome details on such records for ongoing research. Thanks for
appreciating and caring for our winged wonders!</div>
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<b>Christian Artuso (Winnipeg) and Jim Duncan (Balmoral) </b></div>
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The photo below shows a perfectly healthy Boreal Owl that was perched very low to the ground, which aroused some concern until it became active near dusk: </div>
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-84153951671054500312018-02-04T13:50:00.003-08:002018-02-27T19:12:03.539-08:00Owls of the Indian Subcontinent and islands<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is a brief overview of the owls of the Indian Subcontinent and some of the surrounding islands. It is not exhaustive but represents species seen on a recent trip to southern India and Sri Lanka and a few old slides from a previous visit to India. It is arranged in taxonomic order. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Barn Owl </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto alba</i>), alternatively </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eastern Barn Owl </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto javanica stertens</i>),</span> Sri Lanka, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Recent analyses suggest that the Barn Owls found on the Indian Subcontinent should be considered as part of the "Eastern Barn Owl" group (rather than with the Barn Owls of the Europe and Africa). The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) gives the Eastern Barn Owl full species status as <i>Tyto javanica</i> and the subspecies designation of <i>stertens</i> still applies to the birds shown here. I have seen many Barn Owls around the world, and I have long been a fan of these fascinating owls, but I have to say that the golden glowing facial rim on this individual from Sri Lanka just blew me away! So much so that I decided to share three photos of this individual and a fourth of a bird in the nest cavity (all cropped). In the first photo you can see how the bill is pointed downward, as well as the beautiful colour of the back and wings. In general terms (over evolutionary time), the beak in owls has evolved to point downward rather than outward and this has the big advantage of minimising interference with owls’ binocular vision. You can see it especially well note in the photos where the face is in profile here. The second photo is a portrait (cropped to vertical) showing the lightly spotted underparts and the famous heart-shaped face. The third photo shows the owl preening, scratching under the bill. The fourth photo shows another Barn Owl peering out of the nest cavity.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UXtlSjBTpOZ6Z7amhCrXtSjiiTkuWKlzM8vGZQQUndcftEU89Qb8-LDzt1OHwn2lWG1XYCfC_rM3IzyZFI6tmbg6y09bW15LhQ24kL5JCKBsoKmNKgQ5dmmxoXYkcsaOB9i8KwOSRA4/s1600/Barn+Owl_6313_preening_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UXtlSjBTpOZ6Z7amhCrXtSjiiTkuWKlzM8vGZQQUndcftEU89Qb8-LDzt1OHwn2lWG1XYCfC_rM3IzyZFI6tmbg6y09bW15LhQ24kL5JCKBsoKmNKgQ5dmmxoXYkcsaOB9i8KwOSRA4/s400/Barn+Owl_6313_preening_ARTUSO.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsWbuwyC50ZJ4Sb4XKDX_1gp_OZrA6x8wOX8c40K8ILSi95vlWYyFta83HbZaLv1CT9aULGku7-SuslIkc7PvJGRkl0Y4yChln9dlmQHqmw2AAQfPTNWAn0xj3u9rKULExSBJaVu-MV8/s1600/Barn+Owl_6333_nest_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsWbuwyC50ZJ4Sb4XKDX_1gp_OZrA6x8wOX8c40K8ILSi95vlWYyFta83HbZaLv1CT9aULGku7-SuslIkc7PvJGRkl0Y4yChln9dlmQHqmw2AAQfPTNWAn0xj3u9rKULExSBJaVu-MV8/s400/Barn+Owl_6333_nest_ARTUSO.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Andaman Masked-Owl </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto deroepstorffi</i>), South Andaman
Island, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Also known as
Andaman Barn Owl, the <b>Andaman Masked-Owl</b> <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: white;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto deroepstorffi</i>)</span> </span>was only
recently split from the Barn Owl. This species is endemic to the Andaman Islands (at least to South
Andaman but possibly also Middle and North Andaman) in the Bay of Bengal north
of Sumatra and west of Burma. The Andaman Masked-Owl is slightly smaller than
the Barn Owl with a few interesting features such as very powerful feet, a
pinkish wash to the face, a brown facial disk, a very dark mantle, and a golden
wash to the upper breast and side of neck. Very little is known of its ecology
other than a tendency to roost in caves (now also buildings) and a distribution
mainly in the coastal plain of the island. This photo shows a pair (presumed
female on the left is slightly darker overall, especially on the underparts,
and has more spots on the breast (not known if these differences are
consistent). This is a poor-quality photo from a considerable distance but gives
a little sense of the palm-filled coastal habitat.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVbg-87UVylOpyHbM9VnSTqAqC0iGKeqiVlQEKzaZu-SMhzYBbioR35zzmHc3gIBF0h_nexeog_AhierXiKFLqDWKn_I9eaOPC64eV4112841I9h2TxhziR8GswlbIcpbGiD0hteEowk/s1600/Andaman+Masked+Owl_7121_pair_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1118" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVbg-87UVylOpyHbM9VnSTqAqC0iGKeqiVlQEKzaZu-SMhzYBbioR35zzmHc3gIBF0h_nexeog_AhierXiKFLqDWKn_I9eaOPC64eV4112841I9h2TxhziR8GswlbIcpbGiD0hteEowk/s400/Andaman+Masked+Owl_7121_pair_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b> Sri Lanka Bay Owl</b> (<i>Phodilus assimilis</i>), Kerala, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The southern portion of India is home to many of the subcontinent’s owl species and the Western Ghats (small mountain range in southwest India) also share a few endemic or near-endemic bird species with Sri Lanka, including the magnificent <b>Sri Lanka Bay Owl</b> (and likewise the Sri Lanka Frogmouth and others). The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is one of two Asian species in the genus Phodilus (the Congo Bay Owl is often also placed in this genus but there is disagreement on that). The golden nape and golden highlights on the owl’s back (that you can see in these photos) are one of the features that help separate the Sri Lanka Bay Owl from the similar Oriental Bay Owl (call/song is another). The bay-owls belong to the Barn Owl family (Tytonidae) but they are placed in their own genus, distinct from the Tyto barn-owls, masked-owls and grass-owls (only two genera in the family: <i>Tyto</i> & <i>Phodilus</i>). The bay-owls have several unusual features, perhaps the most striking of which is the way they can raise the top of their facial disk to look like ears (look at the photo of the bird on the day roost to see this, although the “ears” can be MUCH more pronounced than shown here). One hypothesis is that this enables them to mimic a mammal and could be a way to avoid danger (mammals are much heavier than birds of the same size so looking like a mammal could makes a bird seem “bigger”). The bay-owls’ mammalian appearance is really accentuated by the super short tail (usually hidden by the wings creating a blunt rear-end look) and their vertical posture (note how the owl clings to a vertical vine perched upright, with powerful talons, in these photos). If you add the appearance of their HUGE eyes to the vertical posture and facial shape suggesting ears, the whole effect, at least to my eye, makes them look like a small primate. Of course those enormous eyes are of great benefit as they hunt rodents in the dark understorey of the dense rainforest (they seem especially fond of a dense understorey with vines that many owls would find too difficult to hunt in). The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is certainly enigmatic and I was absolutely delighted to see one at night and one by day on this trip to Kerala. Their call is hauntingly beautiful as well and I would highly recommend listening to either the Oriental Bay Owl and/or the Sri Lanka Bay Owl on http://www.xeno-canto.org/. Another point to note is how the bill points downward as discussed above for the Barn Owl..</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2EpAKy16i-RI3LVPOa_unyfyBpM-T7wpEYLzeDj9SkXOb778XshNDkdRb_8shE8gewV9tIsspAojfvE__OnKQSHnCfw3fEKkpXaM-Sc0Ty_PBobVRzXuNli0Uo5oP8NIhOUnlzHupdU/s1600/Sri+Lanka+Bay+Owl_2733_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2EpAKy16i-RI3LVPOa_unyfyBpM-T7wpEYLzeDj9SkXOb778XshNDkdRb_8shE8gewV9tIsspAojfvE__OnKQSHnCfw3fEKkpXaM-Sc0Ty_PBobVRzXuNli0Uo5oP8NIhOUnlzHupdU/s400/Sri+Lanka+Bay+Owl_2733_ARTUSO.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGnupNM-iPqLsMkEu3JWAeKbt3CEQaYjsJuFIgbqXh9kMXSJ75QGFjj1r4LwBECsE-Pavr7r3k0w9ThExwnEFKbZfoBjjjjiFp0Neztn-I9B5DnCl_UXoYu0yo6lb-qcIr9PudzbGyWs/s1600/Sri+Lanka+Bay+Owl_3270_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGnupNM-iPqLsMkEu3JWAeKbt3CEQaYjsJuFIgbqXh9kMXSJ75QGFjj1r4LwBECsE-Pavr7r3k0w9ThExwnEFKbZfoBjjjjiFp0Neztn-I9B5DnCl_UXoYu0yo6lb-qcIr9PudzbGyWs/s400/Sri+Lanka+Bay+Owl_3270_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Andaman Scops-Owl </b>(<i>Otus balli</i>), South Andaman Island, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There are two scops-owls on the Andaman Islands: the endemic Andaman Scops-Owl and an endemic subspecies of Oriental Scops-Owl. The Andaman Scops-Owl is a smallish scops-owl with two colour morphs, rufous and brown-grey (sometimes called “dark morph”), although there seems to be some differences in the literature in how these are described; for example, I believe this bird is a “dark” or brown-grey morph but it is similar to the photo in Mikkola’s book that is called a rufous-morph. This scops-owl is found in the forest and open woodlands of South Andaman Island (possibly also other islands in the Andaman group) and, like the other owls of the Andaman Islands is very poorly known.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm525FJz8m8z1fzgNL23jBCW4bIbMZwwHdPpGCSLF2Ok7i0QReLTpZ_qT89jnLSUWVx-qsS4HV4lqvb7SZ-n25-s__tRyKPItSkBtdNAqBPSfbfcmXdk-3_mP10_Jid_RoJATV0NJGA7M/s1600/Andaman+Scops-Owl_5934_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm525FJz8m8z1fzgNL23jBCW4bIbMZwwHdPpGCSLF2Ok7i0QReLTpZ_qT89jnLSUWVx-qsS4HV4lqvb7SZ-n25-s__tRyKPItSkBtdNAqBPSfbfcmXdk-3_mP10_Jid_RoJATV0NJGA7M/s400/Andaman+Scops-Owl_5934_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Serendib Scops-Owl (</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Otus thilohoffmanni</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), Kithugala, Sri Lanka, © Christian
Artuso </span></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Only discovered in 2001 and only described to science in 2004, the mysterious and enigmatic <b>Serendib Scops-owl</b> is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka and listed as globally Endangered. This is of course based on its tiny range (only known from ~5 sites in humid forest in southwestern Sri Lanka) and correspondingly small population, both of which are undergoing a decline owing to habitat loss and degradation. There are certainly fewer than one thousand individuals and there may be as few as 250 individuals of this small owl. One positive aspect is that all five sites where the Serendib Scops-Owl occurs are formally protected but habitat loss near these sites is ongoing. You can see the larger female more clearly than the male in this photo. Being shown this beautiful pair in the superb the Kithugala preserve was a personal highlight for me (and my 140th species of owl seen) especially because of this owl’s mystique and because the last time I was on the Indian Subcontinent the specie was not even known to science.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqvJZJYJ1nrFJbX-b8SLYCAyOJdB6STlm6Nu8YhuTU5ENIrUtEhaZ-gzm06tW5uZtg-XJgs1Pf4aYDZohQ6R3vP6dPWcyr6Yl4k5fLxxwFIukGHnrFoaGv3jcivRgFGUt98qOmPOALI0/s1600/Serendib+Scops-Owl_6529_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqvJZJYJ1nrFJbX-b8SLYCAyOJdB6STlm6Nu8YhuTU5ENIrUtEhaZ-gzm06tW5uZtg-XJgs1Pf4aYDZohQ6R3vP6dPWcyr6Yl4k5fLxxwFIukGHnrFoaGv3jcivRgFGUt98qOmPOALI0/s400/Serendib+Scops-Owl_6529_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Indian Scops Owl </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus bakkamoena</i>), Sri Lanka, © Christian
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Special thanks to the home owners, whose name I do not know, who allowed us into their yard to see these handsome owls, I get to share this photo of a pair of roosting Indian Scops-Owls from southern Sri Lanka. The nominate subspecies occurs in both southern India and Sri Lanka. The Indian Scops-Owl is widespread in the subcontinent south of the Himalaya (where its congenitor Collared Scops-Owl occurs). Its dark eyes help in identifying it from other co-occurring scops owls such as the Oriental Scops Owl (coming next). The Indian Scops-Owl frequently roosts in dense tangles, as you can see in the second photo below. This photo is heavily cropped.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PuL7jwXZVwP9QqnIo3BkQ5sigdN4vMAWjO5WJu2zrJt9_7XJjalnVuZzRzBuCLOC_mxKCUXGq1obPkd9pDnMMlarGl5hWPQq30mrq4ySIG6O8vp-Qp8oIhBDeW80xVHtMkim_KAXGlA/s1600/Indian+Scops-Owl_2843_pair+at+roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PuL7jwXZVwP9QqnIo3BkQ5sigdN4vMAWjO5WJu2zrJt9_7XJjalnVuZzRzBuCLOC_mxKCUXGq1obPkd9pDnMMlarGl5hWPQq30mrq4ySIG6O8vp-Qp8oIhBDeW80xVHtMkim_KAXGlA/s400/Indian+Scops-Owl_2843_pair+at+roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Oriental Scops-Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otus sunia modestus</i>), South Andaman
Island, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The other scops-owl on the Andaman Islands is the Oriental Scops-Owl. Oriental Scops-Owl is a widespread species; however, the Andamans are home to an endemic resident subspecies that might warrant full species status, nicknamed “Walden’s Scops-Owl”. Perhaps at some future point genetic and behavioural studies will provide support for full species status of this insular population. The second photo shows the <i>rufipennis </i>subspecies from southern India, which is fairly dark and, as the name implies, with some rich rufous tones in the wing. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQJ42EgGkFtzKcJHGdhllzN9FQ3hctLKLR-62jAktutxiGL6SUnEdvqcTdKzRtDyQzEty08spAEHkelRkyIQIlsOYaLjIpPpk_FPzSbrz3Bzrn4MYDLpOrfVDfmXTkv1nxPqHX64ZULQ/s1600/Oriental+Scops-Owl_5963_Walden%2527s_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1123" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQJ42EgGkFtzKcJHGdhllzN9FQ3hctLKLR-62jAktutxiGL6SUnEdvqcTdKzRtDyQzEty08spAEHkelRkyIQIlsOYaLjIpPpk_FPzSbrz3Bzrn4MYDLpOrfVDfmXTkv1nxPqHX64ZULQ/s400/Oriental+Scops-Owl_5963_Walden%2527s_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKy8NEM9TenPiwzQZDh26Y_JA6GUkHljtzNQ4Gj3XsOKImQjKa2VmWVi51Hf75q88O9rqW8_CE0gkZksiIvIlUsdQOkVirzRheFcqKGP8Y02ychMpIhN_zknN5A1Zpxquu7zui3lGtQM/s1600/Oriental+Scops-Owl_2494_rufipennis_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKy8NEM9TenPiwzQZDh26Y_JA6GUkHljtzNQ4Gj3XsOKImQjKa2VmWVi51Hf75q88O9rqW8_CE0gkZksiIvIlUsdQOkVirzRheFcqKGP8Y02ychMpIhN_zknN5A1Zpxquu7zui3lGtQM/s400/Oriental+Scops-Owl_2494_rufipennis_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubo nipalensis</i>), Kerala, India, ©
Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The magnificent Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, also known as Forest Eagle-Owl, is a large tropical Asian species that is very difficult to observe. Large individuals can be as long as 63 cm making this one of the largest species in Southeast Asia and South Asia (even larger than Indian Eagle-Owl but smaller than Eurasian Eagle-Owl). The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl is found from Indochina across the Himalaya and southern China, with a disjunct population in southern India (mainly the Western Ghats) and Sri Lanka (the Sri Lankan birds are said to be smaller and hence often considered a subspecies). This large owl (top predator) eats a wide variety of prey including large birds like pheasants and small-medium sized mammals including the young of small deer species (muntjacs, mouse deer). It has even been recorded taking unusual prey such as jackals and large monitor lizards. It is mostly a cavity nester (although it will use stick nests, caves or cliffs on occasion) and hence reside in forest with tall trees, typically humid evergreen or deciduous forests, or gallery forests in drier areas. It is considered uncommon throughout its range and is very secretive. Despite all my years spent in Asia I had never managed to see one until my recent trip to Kerala (southernmost India). This was one of those times when my stubborn refusal to sleep, preferring to wander off alone in the forest at night, paid off… one of those truly magic moments when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a large silhouette crossing a clearing and eventually tracked down the monster perched. The owl was fortunately still in the same area two nights later for a bonus. This impressive owl was perched in the subcanopy and this photo is very heavily cropped. The posture was fascinating too. I have often seen owls perched on one leg when roosting, singing or at rest, but most bend the other leg up or tuck it into their feathers but this owl had one leg hanging down below the perch with the toes seemingly clenched, at least for a short while. I am not quite sure why that was but it is a posture one sees when owls are stretching/preening.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHwuOsdZ-4cz23lbTZU9HXJalB67aPOkzZthgYphHXQIffNrlWchPoZ10jLbO1a1kxc07wZJbKkmPvvh-4iM-TeLLM0L_s0zlyuqK-fR-kpLlkWJ3O9j8y8lUdbgM-RzGt2lkB9O4DSE/s1600/Spot-bellied+Eagle-Owl_5140_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHwuOsdZ-4cz23lbTZU9HXJalB67aPOkzZthgYphHXQIffNrlWchPoZ10jLbO1a1kxc07wZJbKkmPvvh-4iM-TeLLM0L_s0zlyuqK-fR-kpLlkWJ3O9j8y8lUdbgM-RzGt2lkB9O4DSE/s400/Spot-bellied+Eagle-Owl_5140_ARTUSO.jpg" width="268" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dusky Eagle-Owl </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubo coromandus</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">), Rajasthan, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The <b>Dusky Eagle-Owl</b> is found across the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent and not in the south. This is an old slide of a female incubating. The Dusky Eagle-Owl is intermediate in size between the smaller Indian Eagle-Owl and the larger Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl and characterised by the greyish-brown or "dusky" colouration shown here.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Brown Fish Owl </b>(<i>Ketupa zeylonensis</i>), Yala National Park, Sri Lanka, © Christian Artuso</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The three fish-owl species in the genus <i>Ketupa</i> (although in some taxonomies <i>Ketupa </i>was merged into Bubo) are large owls with shaggy ear-tufts and unfeathered tarsi. A couple of points to note: 1. the “fish-owls (genus <i>Ketupa</i>) are not the same as the “fishing-owls” (three African owls in the genus<i> Scotopelia </i>that are also large but lack ear-tufts); and 2. The Blakiston’s Fish-Owl may not have changed its English name but it is no longer considered to be a Ketupa fish-owl but instead a Bubo eagle-owl that has evolved to catch fish. The <b>Brown Fish-Owl</b> shown here is the most widespread of the Asian fish-owls, its main range being from Pakistan to southern China, but with disjunct populations as far west as Turkey. The photo shows one of a roosting pair (the second bird was much more hidden in the foliage) in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka (the nominate subspecies occurs on Sri Lanka). The first three photos below wer taken from the jeep (for obvious reasons it is best to stay in the vehicle to minimise the risk of disturbance, and getting out of the vehicle is not permitted in this park) and is heavily cropped. I added a fourth photo of another Brown Fish owl being mobbed by Large-billed Crows in Kerala, India (don't be fooled by the "smiling" appearance).</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineZcFqobE5eRwk38nzVKgSnSnrRCX-CaWGEb6kd4B-62JL1hPqEY23Iyj7h4LbwF-D8KVyGs3SKkNnRqZp0NRZrtW13QenCK2lF1FWsOPLXZGwH6Rh1PbZHh0VxvQ7AcAevC_rF60WYI/s1600/Brown+Fish+Owl_4650_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEineZcFqobE5eRwk38nzVKgSnSnrRCX-CaWGEb6kd4B-62JL1hPqEY23Iyj7h4LbwF-D8KVyGs3SKkNnRqZp0NRZrtW13QenCK2lF1FWsOPLXZGwH6Rh1PbZHh0VxvQ7AcAevC_rF60WYI/s400/Brown+Fish+Owl_4650_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="268" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK__KKTJP81UNFjn2O32FdjM3hUNA3LIZRUMmuvvSneI6ocv0TnDuezrRVaKGZVziopytGxvXmyvOEUFQjtXmudUxk82OAisedJcySUYc40L9u9TE8z1EGcpeF1DsrOlq5cy4u8Mo5fYo/s1600/Brown+Fish+Owl_4742_preening_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK__KKTJP81UNFjn2O32FdjM3hUNA3LIZRUMmuvvSneI6ocv0TnDuezrRVaKGZVziopytGxvXmyvOEUFQjtXmudUxk82OAisedJcySUYc40L9u9TE8z1EGcpeF1DsrOlq5cy4u8Mo5fYo/s400/Brown+Fish+Owl_4742_preening_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyurBIbDDq_sfeDPGrtrt7Ma_durlFIdKWJCkHRtXuDmEKPuRhbqzTVQE0b32fhLERD1XujLip5HzfbAY6meZvvgoeGQqg4EvOxo-3F7lEeZ_a8EwvUIPM92KjGLF-Od3OAJyClWYKIw/s1600/Brown+Fish-Owl_2133_mobbed_Large-billed+Crow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1122" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyurBIbDDq_sfeDPGrtrt7Ma_durlFIdKWJCkHRtXuDmEKPuRhbqzTVQE0b32fhLERD1XujLip5HzfbAY6meZvvgoeGQqg4EvOxo-3F7lEeZ_a8EwvUIPM92KjGLF-Od3OAJyClWYKIw/s400/Brown+Fish-Owl_2133_mobbed_Large-billed+Crow.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Tawny Fish Owl </b>(<i>Ketupa flavipes</i>), Uttarakhand, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Tawny Fish-Owl is slightly larger than the Brown Fish Owl and more northern in its distribution. Once again without getting out of the jeep, I took this record shot in Corbett National Park but the owl was not interested in turning its head to show me its face.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaVw-XZ_upF_RfNlUbYkw2X8V4F-kGr5e3JGJZSF_qWqDF9JPH6M4DglXMdE0NkyOmpm5YCmNtD6YZoRGIszDkGJcau55MoGuUy-lbk0HWqgewjxdcT8bw-fgUlV39ieYIAwYK9YCXxM/s1600/Tawny+Fish+Owl+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="999" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaVw-XZ_upF_RfNlUbYkw2X8V4F-kGr5e3JGJZSF_qWqDF9JPH6M4DglXMdE0NkyOmpm5YCmNtD6YZoRGIszDkGJcau55MoGuUy-lbk0HWqgewjxdcT8bw-fgUlV39ieYIAwYK9YCXxM/s400/Tawny+Fish+Owl+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Asian Barred Owlet </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glaucidium cuculoides</i>),</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Uttarakhand,</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> India, ©
Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The <i>Glaucidium</i> species in Asia are often called "owlets" (rather than pygmy-owls as in the Americas). The Asian Barred owlet is widespread and will be familiar to many Asian readers as it is crepuscular and partially diurnal and hence easier to see than many of the owl species of the subcontinent. It is found across the Himalayan region (unlike the Jungle Owlet below).</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwR-GKHTeSBL1bfd0GkTqCsh0EK2wmyruse1QpO1B95HnPXzGx80v4NWUpvSa8qPKUCnrQ2AVlMBUXdUxJ-jjrdFmH_wRsHwMQhHSfPzd5exzSN7yZ5zpvR2l92OjvCtAYaW4FLC2VyM/s1600/Asian+Barred+Owlet_India_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="945" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwR-GKHTeSBL1bfd0GkTqCsh0EK2wmyruse1QpO1B95HnPXzGx80v4NWUpvSa8qPKUCnrQ2AVlMBUXdUxJ-jjrdFmH_wRsHwMQhHSfPzd5exzSN7yZ5zpvR2l92OjvCtAYaW4FLC2VyM/s400/Asian+Barred+Owlet_India_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jungle Owlet </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glaucidium radiatum</i>), Kerala, India, ©
Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Many travellers to India hope to see “big stripey” (tiger) but, pound for pound, the “little stripey” Jungle Owlet is equally ferocious. Like most species in the Glaucidium genus, usually referred to as “pygmy-owls” or “owlets”, they are capable of taking prey larger than themselves and they often elicit a strong mobbing response from small birds. The Jungle Owlet is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent but widespread within the subcontinent. Its bold striped pattern with strong rufous highlights in the plumage is exquisitely beautiful. This species is largely crepuscular (active and dusk and dawn), which gives opportunities to see it in daylight. I had such a hard time choosing between the many photos I took of this species on my recent trip to southern India and Sri Lanka that I have ended up with six photos, three of adults from Kerala, India and one of an immature bird from Sri Lanka. These photos show:<br /><br />* An adult perched head-on showing the barred underparts<br />* The same adult in a profile view showing the rufous in the wings<br />* The same adult in a profile view showing the back of the head and the absence of the false face in some of the large Glaucidium from Asia and Africa (one of the reasons they are sometimes considered a separate genus)<br />* Another individual facing forward and calling showing the white throat feathers<br />* A habitat show showing an adult against the backdrop of the forest (gives a sense of the little owl in the big forest)<br />* An immature bird (from Sri Lanka) that has probably only recently gained independence from its parents.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcoqK-iaypY2i5HDLWL47gGETRihyphenhyphendLc3nGIEYddAFKVtny9XkciK_aDIJrY5tlVBzKDQyZUVe_OPbiFHn8s88Fn9yjXsrlW35J6qPJbhDK_2RIh0c9xtpPK2wnZMZ6Mkq5ldvX9Qn14/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_2420_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="613" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcoqK-iaypY2i5HDLWL47gGETRihyphenhyphendLc3nGIEYddAFKVtny9XkciK_aDIJrY5tlVBzKDQyZUVe_OPbiFHn8s88Fn9yjXsrlW35J6qPJbhDK_2RIh0c9xtpPK2wnZMZ6Mkq5ldvX9Qn14/s400/Jungle+Owlet_2420_ARTUSO.jpg" width="263" /> </a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDobQdTzswe0BBJp9HjgK0iGYxD1ZoyQ_alcdx8MrzYn2EgoPF2AJkMqx3PhOI2MtDrNp1HPJ-Sp6zLsI3D3dj1ejxSK75sm5zjCpNiNblCGBVStCzgT0CAZFNkVxVcTlUF_wzxniWcc/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_2447_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDobQdTzswe0BBJp9HjgK0iGYxD1ZoyQ_alcdx8MrzYn2EgoPF2AJkMqx3PhOI2MtDrNp1HPJ-Sp6zLsI3D3dj1ejxSK75sm5zjCpNiNblCGBVStCzgT0CAZFNkVxVcTlUF_wzxniWcc/s400/Jungle+Owlet_2447_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlAbbn0ecjTIi_K4tSmzBZZaH-O9kyUW8auurbMLlKD82_s9WoUfzmwtAgNO3tVF42spKMod9kAn4QucbazAa6oXX_BzRVXDR7DOQpi2YNhIA3c72Lb9yioEs0uSVZP8atzu-zcUovNY/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_2444_nape_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlAbbn0ecjTIi_K4tSmzBZZaH-O9kyUW8auurbMLlKD82_s9WoUfzmwtAgNO3tVF42spKMod9kAn4QucbazAa6oXX_BzRVXDR7DOQpi2YNhIA3c72Lb9yioEs0uSVZP8atzu-zcUovNY/s400/Jungle+Owlet_2444_nape_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR5u-Bcm4ltBdsYLEDEEngH3lKVZh_eDF0akIvDoEdWB-9bGGDSp-HgzjCtIkMnpaqqjN6ahRMlby7oDJcQorBYBLNdaHIiVL0Xp0nKZkpp0SpHZHJuOBCHPbFu9BSagwbA-KtXS26nc/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_2219_calling_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="613" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR5u-Bcm4ltBdsYLEDEEngH3lKVZh_eDF0akIvDoEdWB-9bGGDSp-HgzjCtIkMnpaqqjN6ahRMlby7oDJcQorBYBLNdaHIiVL0Xp0nKZkpp0SpHZHJuOBCHPbFu9BSagwbA-KtXS26nc/s400/Jungle+Owlet_2219_calling_ARTUSO.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SGy8XAgYesYo8d5rGmeZyKpcLqLQd4eZbIK0EFQ2ZRNr_RqIwXLBlMWVtKozjdlx0Zlq_mg-TOo3-j68jMUCNefJ0cMi6mRGc6NveiOYkk-AxXv_8rwNu9uSPa_GUvG31LEWONwIpWk/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_3006_habitat_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1124" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SGy8XAgYesYo8d5rGmeZyKpcLqLQd4eZbIK0EFQ2ZRNr_RqIwXLBlMWVtKozjdlx0Zlq_mg-TOo3-j68jMUCNefJ0cMi6mRGc6NveiOYkk-AxXv_8rwNu9uSPa_GUvG31LEWONwIpWk/s400/Jungle+Owlet_3006_habitat_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRhqSUa3tFOkIRtMSDC3L2lXnNxGy-4vTLrZY98iYnI_XSEvUJ8-Yb7V9G6k0UbKBamVTLvg3d2WVWtjM0WQVdw17zLHmkToTV900e6cdEFA5CP2N00a8ffjIQ49f_Te1dkvUOghvVyI/s1600/Jungle+Owlet_2780_imm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRhqSUa3tFOkIRtMSDC3L2lXnNxGy-4vTLrZY98iYnI_XSEvUJ8-Yb7V9G6k0UbKBamVTLvg3d2WVWtjM0WQVdw17zLHmkToTV900e6cdEFA5CP2N00a8ffjIQ49f_Te1dkvUOghvVyI/s320/Jungle+Owlet_2780_imm.jpg" width="214" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Chestnut-backed Owlet (</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Glaucidium castanotum</span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">),
Kithugala, Sri Lanka, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This Chestnut-backed Owlet looked a little comical when singing – almost as though the owl was literally laughing its head off! The rich chestnut back, which contrasts so strongly from the rest of the plumage, is very eye-catching, so I am sharing four photos to show this feature from slightly different angles (all are cropped and one is cropped to vertical format). This tiny little owl is an endemic to the island of Sri Lanka, and, although mostly found in the humid forest zone, is a little more widespread on the island than the Serendib Scops-Owl (see above). It is listed as globally Near-threatened because of its restricted range and declining population.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lwYR0TC-7PWUtcmzT-4WzlAkTBql0xmWB3-7Gbx82u3qNZRhutEJYZJ7UPWDPMlGsRqMG8fPfC0Mtz_q6MEIGQHnUeiUNfpX8MPqhURZzYJJOHQu9Y_4IRzjeWSFZVq2PHzqz4KQZ-U/s1600/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7263_calling_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lwYR0TC-7PWUtcmzT-4WzlAkTBql0xmWB3-7Gbx82u3qNZRhutEJYZJ7UPWDPMlGsRqMG8fPfC0Mtz_q6MEIGQHnUeiUNfpX8MPqhURZzYJJOHQu9Y_4IRzjeWSFZVq2PHzqz4KQZ-U/s400/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7263_calling_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk90oJHE7_lNhyphenhyphenXs192265nDqvkRTJfgZ5KFeyYepJUrC_9cvOw99s5UPrc96YuxUrySNu3CUvdOcoDe-7407m8XHuVUDFrTfeaSxzqX2dhk2SgzLiCp0QPbwHIKegLu-1XCu2WFuNCU/s1600/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7270_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1124" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk90oJHE7_lNhyphenhyphenXs192265nDqvkRTJfgZ5KFeyYepJUrC_9cvOw99s5UPrc96YuxUrySNu3CUvdOcoDe-7407m8XHuVUDFrTfeaSxzqX2dhk2SgzLiCp0QPbwHIKegLu-1XCu2WFuNCU/s400/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7270_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTgb8fV3fR6nrWE1TzIhNjwcvcqsBuq2kmhwoHpoNjXxN616-BXbH2H8kpL2nhUyhwqDFg5hiEX-3_hvtgTMmGUXszt6xT9MsdCu7bdugrTkO5-LvEhDahVrbOQjy4g_SJQAVMa-cwpo/s1600/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7316_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTgb8fV3fR6nrWE1TzIhNjwcvcqsBuq2kmhwoHpoNjXxN616-BXbH2H8kpL2nhUyhwqDFg5hiEX-3_hvtgTMmGUXszt6xT9MsdCu7bdugrTkO5-LvEhDahVrbOQjy4g_SJQAVMa-cwpo/s400/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_7316_ARTUSO.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy6g40Ttbp9U1_xfxNoh5kYK7B1hIUE4FxK3ODqmIgnCRCCqvFlf9X7xO5qAbskznzDeqkfSW1G60Ruhpp3lslnfEykRxd65d_h4irEqsxERTcaqahndbit-GNBRL2Al8ZKiRAU1ANHY/s1600/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_8957_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy6g40Ttbp9U1_xfxNoh5kYK7B1hIUE4FxK3ODqmIgnCRCCqvFlf9X7xO5qAbskznzDeqkfSW1G60Ruhpp3lslnfEykRxd65d_h4irEqsxERTcaqahndbit-GNBRL2Al8ZKiRAU1ANHY/s400/Chestnut-backed+Owlet_8957_Artuso.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Spotted Owlet (</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Athene brama</span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">), Rajasthan, Sri Lanka, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Spotted Owlet is widespread and common throughout most of the subcontinent, except parts of the deep south. Despite the name "owlet" it in an Athene species and related to the likes of Little Owl and Burrowing Owl. It is somewhat crepuscular and relatively easy to observe.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NmFr9hH8oEJAC-XxBPaA0Y7yh5nkoVbgMvN78JHKFDuTW0sZT6W-U5tSOt6-Cf7cJYetr_zZMC5l5vCf0XQoAsX1vajGLcic_jG0MlIPJfdg0eehL1xTGi1la1HWuY4j032_6fpIsN0/s1600/Spotted+Owlet+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1007" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NmFr9hH8oEJAC-XxBPaA0Y7yh5nkoVbgMvN78JHKFDuTW0sZT6W-U5tSOt6-Cf7cJYetr_zZMC5l5vCf0XQoAsX1vajGLcic_jG0MlIPJfdg0eehL1xTGi1la1HWuY4j032_6fpIsN0/s400/Spotted+Owlet+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0WgZgQ2dqWHUDDkBOmmWEhJeAr-d6jEbjxME1uB8LJRMFfXMYEOtHzdaYt-oO4mJi-EESsMh7KiKQ5_cdh2WetQ7vt0trDCGMpEGXXxzmlVyw08Hn93Ddvc6HiuNV5zl7HdrJZKVE6A/s1600/Spotted+Owlet+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="955" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0WgZgQ2dqWHUDDkBOmmWEhJeAr-d6jEbjxME1uB8LJRMFfXMYEOtHzdaYt-oO4mJi-EESsMh7KiKQ5_cdh2WetQ7vt0trDCGMpEGXXxzmlVyw08Hn93Ddvc6HiuNV5zl7HdrJZKVE6A/s400/Spotted+Owlet+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSu-HUsWiKs2ZfRw1m8hCqrfA1NgR2BgLCNWGMqxwN0Sg8ET7NbNjkJwRdhkJvOYb3NnvCgb29r-qhuAD6hrQrTJyXxJH51DXLFaOg1aSZJFcXO2fuYNriXaWzHlvkmjdp-kmPwKvC28/s1600/Spotted+Owlet_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="911" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSu-HUsWiKs2ZfRw1m8hCqrfA1NgR2BgLCNWGMqxwN0Sg8ET7NbNjkJwRdhkJvOYb3NnvCgb29r-qhuAD6hrQrTJyXxJH51DXLFaOg1aSZJFcXO2fuYNriXaWzHlvkmjdp-kmPwKvC28/s400/Spotted+Owlet_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mottled Wood-Owl </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strix ocellata</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">), Kerala, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Mottled Wood-Owl is an endemic of the India Subcontinent and arguably one of the most exquisitely plumaged owls in the world. The dappled mottling with golden highlights against greys and browns (the nape is particularly eye-catching) have to be seen to be believed. This owl is somewhat of a habitat generalist, using a variety of woodland types, although in only occurs in the lowlands. It is also a diet generalist and east everything from small insects to small mammals and birds. Nonetheless it is not particularly common and very little is known of its overall population numbers and trends.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkQ93DIokW5AMqw_CJsHs0CFF5HGwjKLelTqS9SxPA27QUdsHs0AFEUOxKgQXWvHlwLDxS1UkydVp6rbtRobrNh6xXBh4bdF7a_w_QLp0FDRRUPTTTk6CY3JpXqzUuiNLmYbomv0XwNI/s1600/Mottled+Wood-Owl_comp_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1155" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkQ93DIokW5AMqw_CJsHs0CFF5HGwjKLelTqS9SxPA27QUdsHs0AFEUOxKgQXWvHlwLDxS1UkydVp6rbtRobrNh6xXBh4bdF7a_w_QLp0FDRRUPTTTk6CY3JpXqzUuiNLmYbomv0XwNI/s400/Mottled+Wood-Owl_comp_ARTUSO.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Brown Wood-Owl </span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strix leptogrammica</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">), Kerala, India and Sri Lanka © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The beautiful Brown Wood-Owl is another exceptionally beautiful Asian wood-owl (genus Strix), with an exquisite contrast in the rufous facial disk (from the rest of the plumage). This album contains three photos (all heavily cropped), one from Kerala in southern India (indranee subspecies) and two images of a pair at their roost site in Sri Lanka (ochrogenys subspecies). The photos from Sri Lanka show a pair, the first is cropped and the second cropped even closer to show the single bird better. Interestingly, these photos show more examples of owls roosting on one foot, which seems a common behaviour. The Brown Wood-Owl is quite large (size varies with sex and subspecies but can be as much as 40 – 55 cm in length) and uses a wide variety of forest types at a variety of elevations.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu01_lh1kESz8DIS-TkXLhVjPCDR_XFVAyH6vxpeev5a5PrYMlpxjwn_qcGrkROUYdpa3zN3PPMjp-01JFU9pfwqYPWEoo2Hxv_CmDilXJcCU3VbN2ZNe4zm9OK9DTwgVaT6Y-wenajqY/s1600/Brown+Wood+Owl_7020_pair+at+roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="689" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu01_lh1kESz8DIS-TkXLhVjPCDR_XFVAyH6vxpeev5a5PrYMlpxjwn_qcGrkROUYdpa3zN3PPMjp-01JFU9pfwqYPWEoo2Hxv_CmDilXJcCU3VbN2ZNe4zm9OK9DTwgVaT6Y-wenajqY/s400/Brown+Wood+Owl_7020_pair+at+roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="298" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrwN-RB7fuIUhJE1qQx4Iuldfjmbl-VIKIrQP8q8ywydnutdYhuQw3GSrCpSZZhiLZOIza3Cd0Iy6-z3TU0y42aaYT4AO31T8IbyESEw2b_VJ_pXstwmCIIz_KzhfJR60ruyJsCJQ9ug/s1600/Brown+Wood+Owl_6983_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrwN-RB7fuIUhJE1qQx4Iuldfjmbl-VIKIrQP8q8ywydnutdYhuQw3GSrCpSZZhiLZOIza3Cd0Iy6-z3TU0y42aaYT4AO31T8IbyESEw2b_VJ_pXstwmCIIz_KzhfJR60ruyJsCJQ9ug/s400/Brown+Wood+Owl_6983_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLLDSzQ_rmArIAyqwDYPaqkDhhesmTqcB6O9UNED0DVIwdj4DPjcnY0vSTBk0v0kzAguxzWfCreROGa350UvxRC2KnVxO1u8S5gh7dkyD0i9pdx7RvqHHUqTliJ4lP5lz0AUXQSinLo/s1600/Brown+Wood-Owl_4254_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVLLDSzQ_rmArIAyqwDYPaqkDhhesmTqcB6O9UNED0DVIwdj4DPjcnY0vSTBk0v0kzAguxzWfCreROGa350UvxRC2KnVxO1u8S5gh7dkyD0i9pdx7RvqHHUqTliJ4lP5lz0AUXQSinLo/s400/Brown+Wood-Owl_4254_roost_ARTUSO.jpg" width="265" /> </a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Short-eared Owl </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asio flammeus</i>), Rajasthan,
India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Short-eared Owl needs little introduction as it is one of the most cosmopolitan of owl species. In the Indian subcontinent, it seems most prevalent in arid areas and grasslands. The last of these photos shows an aggressive interaction with a Pallid Harrier.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpg-2NsT7Xn7sPKt9tU1rGCsP-B8nQwRj9V1hClh34f13fpbedSxt4Mj2Noh-heMv8xGwgncFuWD3rCoZu1MhAn1vtxsp_rcyqKfJqId9eIvAQMs8z1IT4KO2kRrYKhGT57iwJD-yvz8/s1600/Short-eared+Owl_u_flammeus_Desert+NP+India_January_Artuso_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="988" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpg-2NsT7Xn7sPKt9tU1rGCsP-B8nQwRj9V1hClh34f13fpbedSxt4Mj2Noh-heMv8xGwgncFuWD3rCoZu1MhAn1vtxsp_rcyqKfJqId9eIvAQMs8z1IT4KO2kRrYKhGT57iwJD-yvz8/s400/Short-eared+Owl_u_flammeus_Desert+NP+India_January_Artuso_2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGITx9PqOPaFUtnNt_Q85ZQajFNmvmljAJc0W4NWlDMgjBvvTD60CG9CDU0cvVr8abUxKh32sc6QpuAAY6JJLvoXj0_zundTjIGGeHUw9s2H0oenq9OM4Rd2xy3Oy34aCF_60zqsa-360/s1600/Short-eared+Owl_u_flammeus_Desert+NP+India_January_Artuso_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="988" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGITx9PqOPaFUtnNt_Q85ZQajFNmvmljAJc0W4NWlDMgjBvvTD60CG9CDU0cvVr8abUxKh32sc6QpuAAY6JJLvoXj0_zundTjIGGeHUw9s2H0oenq9OM4Rd2xy3Oy34aCF_60zqsa-360/s400/Short-eared+Owl_u_flammeus_Desert+NP+India_January_Artuso_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">Brown Boobook </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">(<i>Ninox scutulata</i>), Kerala, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The genus <i>Ninox</i> (now often referred to by the onomatopoeic word "boobooks") is predominantly Australasian but there are a few species in Asia. The most widespread Asian species is the <b>Brown Boobook</b>, formerly and sometimes still called Brown Hawk-Owl and affectionately known in many parts of Asia as the "du-wup bird" for its two-note song; the same two-note pattern that engendered the name "boobook" for the Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) in one of the Australian indigenous languages, although it is not clear from which of the many Australian languages). </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ1CBedcoiwO21gfb6GJ4DH7CUqZOESXZz-Sr8_eYdudiecmVfpzCrxMwjIiRQ965x6WghoaUxq1hNV4iOVfpT3RACIXj6ukVoag3nRmIRwFb-qzBs-z4cOBDBxaJq214nVrL4NvsfWM/s1600/Brown+Hawk-Owl_2469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="606" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ1CBedcoiwO21gfb6GJ4DH7CUqZOESXZz-Sr8_eYdudiecmVfpzCrxMwjIiRQ965x6WghoaUxq1hNV4iOVfpT3RACIXj6ukVoag3nRmIRwFb-qzBs-z4cOBDBxaJq214nVrL4NvsfWM/s400/Brown+Hawk-Owl_2469.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Andaman Boobook </span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox affinis</i>), South Andaman Island,
India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There are two endemic Ninox species on the Andaman Islands. This is the smaller Andaman Boobook, also known as Andaman Hawk Owl. It is smaller than the similar-looking and widespread Brown Hawk-Owl and also smaller than the Hume’s Boobook that it shares the islands of South Andaman with. This species is a resident of the islands forests and uses both primary forest and secondary forest. It is poorly known but insects probably form the bulk of its diet.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYvUjNoKc-C1NSkHY-6_0cSrJQC7lXhukoTEAm3K7qLbw8gxN0MM7xWPfahTARIbX-z461h8SA1p2DUEw4tAymRwIB7hfPyn6yqDqqfGpdLldcIERDMOa7R5Bb9zHMEaaI8ZNBTu46hI/s1600/Andaman+Boobook_6184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYvUjNoKc-C1NSkHY-6_0cSrJQC7lXhukoTEAm3K7qLbw8gxN0MM7xWPfahTARIbX-z461h8SA1p2DUEw4tAymRwIB7hfPyn6yqDqqfGpdLldcIERDMOa7R5Bb9zHMEaaI8ZNBTu46hI/s400/Andaman+Boobook_6184.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Hume's Boobook </b>(<i>Ninox obscura</i>), South Andaman Island, India, © Christian Artuso</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Easily identified by its darker colour, especially the rich coffee-coloured and unmarked underparts (as well as large size), the <b>Hume’s Boobook</b> is the second endemic <i>Ninox</i> species on the Andaman Islands. The two endemic boobooks, Andaman Boobook and Hume’s Boobook, overlap in distribution and habitat. This individual was photographed just a few hundred metres away from the Andaman Boobook I posted yesterday. This suggests some segregation in resource use and Hume’s Boobook seems to prefer more open habitats (this bird was in a rural yard) and is known to prey upon birds in addition to insects (e.g. capturing swifts in their nesting caves). Both species are very poorly known and even their distribution on the various islands of the Andaman Island group is unclear.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUquOaIhHYLcKmENChJen-gwLW-QK699hY8y_hftWORyUvawl85MbOaakuZ7qz3uFb70rfiteND4Bf0vSBtt74CZVKg-6jMljLAn-uitN-KFxrEO_c1C1jhPyugfs15s9IPnZWQOZX1YM/s1600/Hume%2527s+Boobook_6159_ARTUSO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="611" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUquOaIhHYLcKmENChJen-gwLW-QK699hY8y_hftWORyUvawl85MbOaakuZ7qz3uFb70rfiteND4Bf0vSBtt74CZVKg-6jMljLAn-uitN-KFxrEO_c1C1jhPyugfs15s9IPnZWQOZX1YM/s400/Hume%2527s+Boobook_6159_ARTUSO.jpg" width="265" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-19404472101881083032018-01-07T08:12:00.002-08:002018-01-07T08:13:48.297-08:00Santa Marta Screech-Owl described to science<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">The <b>Santa Marta Screech-Owl</b> has finally been described as <i>Megascops gilesi </i>by Niels Krabbe. First "discovered" in 2007, I took the photo below in 2008. It took 10 years from discovery to description! See: <a class="" dir="ltr" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbw.com%2Fnew-species%2Fsanta-marta-screech-owl&h=ATO47Xc2oqiyaZL_zYDq9jZKyg3mzddhuePlb34bTO-M9RYKCs4T_VSq1yfshKS2-CYZyV3rdnH_0eCFl0afd1GiLPV9_vpVBuMzgyKDKKKFpVRQobostRsDKk9JlU3GNPr03O4PToCY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.hbw.com/new-species/santa-marta-screech-owl</a> for a short write-up or read the full paper at: <a class="" dir="ltr" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fasociacioncolombianadeornitologia.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F12%2F16eA08.pdf&h=ATO6g38RWjlMfZ-FfGaOT7xaqziI9vDI20GgfHYXlVYdwdvLCbzBxhC_7nYemFy83KdXDcTii9NClcL6UcJOWNJkO95CnULCR0HfWhQuj20fdACJBOcs6Snaz0OHEgytBWBZlfaKfH3y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://asociacioncolombianadeornitologia.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/16eA08.pdf</a>. </span></span></span><br />
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<b><span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Citation </span></span></span></b><br />
<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody _1n4g">Krabbe, N. 201. A new species of <i>Megascops</i>
(Strigidae) from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, with notes
on voices of New World screech-owls. <i>Ornitología Colombiana</i> 16: eA08-1.</span></span></span>artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-28360737137202854692017-12-06T06:32:00.002-08:002017-12-06T15:35:04.103-08:00Snowy Owl, globally Vulnerable<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The <b>Snowy Owl</b> has recently been
listed as globally <b>VULNERABLE</b>. See: </span><a href="http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/snowy-owl-bubo-scandiacus"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/snowy-owl-bubo-scandiacus</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> or </span><a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22689055/0"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22689055/0</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Population size and the extent
of the declines are both poorly understood; however, despite the uncertainty,
there is sufficient evidence for a listing of Vulnerable. We don’t really know
why the numbers are declining but reduced food supply (perhaps due to climate
change) and the high rate of collisions with vehicles and infrastructure have
been suggested.</span><br />
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-33299444213417168982017-11-22T20:21:00.000-08:002017-11-23T19:17:10.811-08:00Shorebird conundrum<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSHF7QpGPKRKAnZRLyvvn2CySSLhEMdZmAH3abcZkoy5IggJP5Hq6_eclIgYNDqnyZjdE2mB8Pa_cd6UfJXTPx7LWnzQk5n6Ge4b5BWJT_ymCf-dHWPH5bfATDxDMQuzpdz3kLMdAZ44/s1600/shorebird+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1111" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSHF7QpGPKRKAnZRLyvvn2CySSLhEMdZmAH3abcZkoy5IggJP5Hq6_eclIgYNDqnyZjdE2mB8Pa_cd6UfJXTPx7LWnzQk5n6Ge4b5BWJT_ymCf-dHWPH5bfATDxDMQuzpdz3kLMdAZ44/s400/shorebird+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So, in terms of conservation, which of these shorebirds in the top row
and bottom left and bottom centre is not quite like the others (the
photo in the bottom right hand is a clue)? This quizz pertains to a
newly published study that showed high survivability in 6 species of
shorebirds at 9 breeding sites across the North American Arctic in
2010–2014: American Golden Plover, Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper,
Western Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, and Red Phalarope with one
important difference. The conclusion of the paper is that the main
conservation concern may be at stopover sites or wintering sites, see: r<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioone.org%2Fdoi%2F10.1642%2FAUK-17-107.1&h=ATO3GF2bYCH4kskm46M22G0mBaniF_aga32XHQdKdAB9HdeBWhSm-VfEFwyO28CxHntNSPmd9jUgAZTZ_7Qg3UFQxvw2wXoDlfRfPlryGtOgN5-lVuDW6XOtVbfHr077Hee6NJnJhnm_WcyWiTVJZbApmMG6PNYpWGOwbK_vhU4aBejW_0j41B0yTlkdXdrKyZ-NM2c3RAGOpxnUccPkURSfkpIsjQYJxfLKXRyAdA22H29MQTzvfUCro_0hterAWVBwpQEngUnNBJsKr-dQ8hg1YZrMvm0mm2i4nlZXpsRG" href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.1642/AUK-17-107.1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.1642/AUK-17-107.1</a> ... scroll down to see the answer:<br />
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<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">This study looked at breeding and survivorship of six species: Western
Sandpiper (top left), Dunlin (top centre), American Golden-Plover (top
right), Semipalmated Sandpiper (bottom left), Red-necked Phalarope
(bottom centre) and also Red Phalarope (not pictured). They showed good
breeding success and high survivorship in all except the <i>arcticola </i>
subspecies of Dunlin. So how does the <i>arcticola</i> Dunlin differ from the
others? Well, it breeds in North America but it winters in Asia and uses
the East Asian Flyway (all of the others stay within the Americas).
Stop-over sites in the East Asian Flyway have deteriorated so
drastically and there is so much habitat loss that it affects
survivorship. This is a major problem not just for these Dunlin but also
for many Asian shorebirds such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (the clue
is the bottom right photo of a Dunlin beside a Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a
photo that I took in South Korea). It goes to show that even if all is
well on the breeding grounds, a species can encounter great danger
elsewhere in its range (on migration or on the wintering grounds). It is
important to remember this connectivity and its consequences when we
talk about Canadian Species At Risk.</span></span></span>artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-8313927071473691832017-10-25T10:55:00.002-07:002017-10-25T10:56:12.169-07:00Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) colour in Manitoba, Canada<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
live in Manitoba, Canada within the range of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">subarcticus</i> subspecies of <b>Great Horned Owl</b>. Of the many hundreds I
have seen here, where they are common and easy to see, especially in the
Prairie Pothole region, the vast majority have a pale colouration. The bird on
the right of the photo collage below would be a fairly typical example in my neck of
the woods though some are paler than this, some darker, and some have slightly
warmer tones, i.e. more warm buff or even a rufous wash to the pale areas of
their plumage. Every so often I find a Great Horned that is so warmly coloured (like
the one in the photo on the left of this collage) that it makes me wonder if it
could be an individual of the nominate subspecies that has dispersed north. I am
especially curious when I find such birds in fall at a time of year when
dispersal is most likely to occur, especially natal dispersal. Natal dispersal
is when young owls gain independence from their parents and vacate the
territories and home ranges of their parents in search for a place to call
their own. Of course they have a lot in store for them ahead, including
surviving the toughest time of their lives, their first winter, before they can
claim a territory and find a partner. Natal dispersal (the distance from an
owl’s birth place to the site of its first reproductive effort) is sometimes
short but can sometimes be hundreds of kilometres. Dispersal during food
shortages can sometimes also be distant. Fall/winter is therefore the time when
one might chance upon an admixture of subspecies as a product of dispersal. It
might even be possible that such far dispersing birds find a mate of a
different subspecies (subspecies can by definition interbreed) and to produce
“intergrade” offspring but it is extremely difficult to prove that for a
species with such a clinal range of colouration as the Great Horned Owl (from
the super dark birds of the west coast to some pale northern birds that could
almost be mistaken for a Snowy Owl to some of the intensely rufous birds of the
wet and warm parts of the range). We have seen some fascinating pairing of
light and dark birds in Alberta, for example. The rufous individual Great Horned shown in the left photo of this
collage was photographed recently just 175 metres away from the site where the
other photo was taken and the markings reveals that this bird is not one of the
local nesting pair. My best guess is that this bird is a dispersing individual
whose presence will not be tolerated for very long by the resident guardians of
our cottontail-rich neighbourhood. With this colouration, it is tempting to
speculate that this bird comes from within the range of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">B. v. virginianus</i> but we will likely never know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
a little context, the rufous bird on the left is being mobbed by crows and on
alert for that reason. The pale bird on the right was perched near the river
but within sight of a well-used public trail and was keeping an eye on the
passers-by, including one with a small dog (dogs are often perceived as a
threat to the young instead of a potential snack if you are wondering). Both
photos are taken at a distance of greater than 50 metres and heavily cropped. </span></div>
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<br />artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-70785083923992595772017-10-21T09:59:00.000-07:002017-10-21T10:03:29.176-07:00Bob-o-lincoln, Goglu, Charlatán, Rice Bird, Reed Bird, Long-toed Rice-eater... A Bobolink is still as sweet! <br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
beautiful <b>Bobolinks</b> are on their way to South America now on what is an
exceptionally long migration for a passerine, particularly for an Icertid (new
World blackbirds, orioles, meadowlarks, grackles, etc.). Nonetheless, I decided
to share the photo collage below of their summer shenanigans in the beautiful mixed-grass
prairie of the Blind Souris Valley, within the <a href="http://ibacanada.org/site.jsp?siteID=MB024" target="_blank">Southwest Manitoba Mixed-grass Prairie Important Bird Area</a>. The Bobolink is a quietly inspirational bird and
not just because they are so unique (only member of their genus) and males seem
to wear their nuptial plumage backwards (pale above, black below), but also because
of their delightfully goofy song and display (imagine a bouncing ball over the
prairie with an R2D2-like song) as well as because of their many “faces”
(transitional plumages) and their phenomenal migration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
English name “<b>Bobolink</b>” is onomatopoeia for their song (shortened from “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bob-o-lincoln”</i>), as is their rather cute
French name “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goglu</i>” (<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goglu des prés</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>= “Goglu” of the meadows), but my favourite
name is the Spanish “<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlatán</i></b>” that
fits their charlatan antics as they bobble around both prairie and pampas (in
the most endearing way possible of course). They also get called the nickname “rice
bird” and their scientific name echoes this: the genus name derives from the
Greek δολιχός = long + ὄνυξ = claw and the species epithet derives from Latin <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">oryza</i> = rice + <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vorare</i> = devour (although it is tempting to think of onyx as the
gemstone, describing the bird’s pattern, that is not the original meaning). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
<b>Bobolink</b> sadly is a species in decline and listed as Threatened in Canada by
COSEWIC, though the declines are more severe in the eastern grasslands than in
the prairies (long-term decline since 1970 in Manitoba of -1.5% per annum and
in Canada of -3.2% per annum based on current Breeding Bird Survey statistics).
If you live in the eastern U.S.A, take a look at <a href="https://www.bobolinkproject.com/" target="_blank">The Bobolink Project</a> website </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">or in eastern
Canada, see <a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/bobolink-and-eastern-meadowlark-recovery-strategy-executive-summary" target="_blank">this page</a> and/or the COSEWIC report <a href="http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/document/default_e.cfm?documentID=1972" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span class="" id="result_box" lang="es">Y para mis amigos de América del Sur, consulten <a href="http://www.alianzadelpastizal.org/noticia/english-comenzo-monitoreo-del-charlatan-dolichonyx-orizivorus/" target="_blank"><span class="">esta página</span></a></span>. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Bobolink</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> (</span><span class="splittaxon"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://inaturalist.ca/taxa/10487" target="_self">Dolichonyx oryzivorus</a></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">), Southwest
Manitoba Mixed-grass Prairie IBA, M</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">anitoba,
Canada, © Christian Artuso</span></div>
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artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-71701337845136637772017-09-15T19:16:00.001-07:002017-10-13T06:53:04.346-07:00For a FriendOn the afternoon of September 11, 2017, the world lost our friend, birding comrade and free spirit <i>par excellence</i>, Liis Veelma. I would like to celebrate her life with a few shared memories.<br />
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I will begin with a photo of Liis. I am especially fond of this photo that Youn-Young took of Liis at one of my Nature Manitoba workshops. I think it captures her intelligence and her ever-inquisitive nature. Born in Estonia in 1940, Liis's early childhood was spent in refugee camps until her family was able to make Canada home. Liis was obviously shaped by those childhood experiences and always maintained a strong interest in all things culturally and linguistically Estonian; however, she also embraced Canada with zeal and birded this country from coast to coast to coast. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnUqfzHK0ZVn4Dwo_4nx1QuAiQ5GPZkaaBatfNhcoT4eCH0lV3zQBCI8zLwEotZwhfO51_Q1S39xkCeAl4NYPS6M2_j4IA16AEZAAw9TqpMBxf9jXcgVHj0jYyGNPd-QjPEJw79BpcBc/s1600/Liis_9929_by+Youn-Young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnUqfzHK0ZVn4Dwo_4nx1QuAiQ5GPZkaaBatfNhcoT4eCH0lV3zQBCI8zLwEotZwhfO51_Q1S39xkCeAl4NYPS6M2_j4IA16AEZAAw9TqpMBxf9jXcgVHj0jYyGNPd-QjPEJw79BpcBc/s320/Liis_9929_by+Youn-Young.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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For the simple reason that I remember the great joy on Liis's face at the time, I will start the bird photos with these young Burrowing Owls. There were eight wee-uns in total and Liis was over the moon to see them. The decline of this charismatic owl in the Canadian prairies has been dire and there are precious few to be found in Manitoba today. Liis's face was pressed against the window frame of the car as she lapped up the antics of these little angels around their burrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNyGbK2QAu3SLxWo37-odpfSXgoPukwN3sGR69uWZI9317WyNqK_M2LUmfm3IuR9s0Qh5dIi4oDOYY5tXgw87iIAwKqFhyux4mYxFMk58U6a6BubPWHdVNe4H3YLjc8wxE4nOu5Z93v4/s1600/Burrowing+Owl_8678c_juv_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="933" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNyGbK2QAu3SLxWo37-odpfSXgoPukwN3sGR69uWZI9317WyNqK_M2LUmfm3IuR9s0Qh5dIi4oDOYY5tXgw87iIAwKqFhyux4mYxFMk58U6a6BubPWHdVNe4H3YLjc8wxE4nOu5Z93v4/s400/Burrowing+Owl_8678c_juv_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is nothing Liis loved more than a birding trip. Such was her free spirit that she could get in the car on a whim and end up hundreds of miles away. She also concocted some wonderful long-weekend trips, although looking back I still don't quite know how we put all those miles behind us. In April 2005, Liis, Adam and I made a trip to Grasslands National Park for a few prairie target birds, the most sought-after being the Endangered Greater Sage-Grouse. If you know Liis, you will not be surprised to learn that we took turns driving through the night and arrived only an hour or so before dawn, in perfect time to witness the magic of the dance of one of the prairies finest spectacles! <br />
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After being woken to the bizarre popping noises and watching the breathtaking display, we kept on birding and soon found Burrowing Owls, Long-billed Curlews, McCown's Longspur and other grassland species. The weekend, however, took a most unexpected turn when Liis and Adam put their heads together later that day. Adam got Liis's attention when he mentioned having heard of a site for Mountain Plover just south of the border. Before I knew what hit me, Adam was at a pay phone getting information from a generous U.S birder and Liis was studying the map. Liis never needed an excuse to just go for a drive, but what better excuse than a Mountain Plover! So, there we were, explaining ourselves to the border guards and then wending our way in Liis's little red car down some salty road that few would call a road. As dusk was fast approaching, we split up to search and by an amazing stroke of luck I found the plover on a patch of bare ground. I still remember the anxious wait as Liis and Adam finally responded to my signals and came sneaking quietly over to enjoy the tremendous sight: <br />
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Not to rest on our laurels, in May of the same year, we set out on an even crazier mission - the great Michigan loop! In one long weekend we drove across the upper Michigan Peninsula then south and around Lake Michigan and back to Winnipeg. One again, we drove through the night, this time to be in place for the Kirtland's Warbler tour in the morning. The all-nighter was soon forgotten though when the Kirtland's put on a show. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSohfxfAKUWb18T4nwp4h1xWxM5DAUPHcU-3a0jBWjVwrzzamJ8C1-bXz8pTe8yTNAu4fP5QgagSC48_52g0mfjiqf2_Xkj3h-BEjbZlnoPgyqieybUXsCH51iSxXYZaIT8IIk_RMpIY/s1600/Kirtland%2527s+Warbler+01_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="933" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSohfxfAKUWb18T4nwp4h1xWxM5DAUPHcU-3a0jBWjVwrzzamJ8C1-bXz8pTe8yTNAu4fP5QgagSC48_52g0mfjiqf2_Xkj3h-BEjbZlnoPgyqieybUXsCH51iSxXYZaIT8IIk_RMpIY/s400/Kirtland%2527s+Warbler+01_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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In addition to the Kirtland's Warbler, we sought and found other species rarely seen in Manitoba such as Prothonotary Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Henslow's Sparrow, Dickcissel, and this magnificent Cerulean Warbler:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvonL07C85uWPAm2-e-an-0LO8YC75HMKVSzg15L3P7lzO2BCxMkvA8c654PwCE4UB2wMLiaAoVkKY0mAPszl8j3IOjKWd8u_hYz_wm-6dPDUH9L2MXTsaxypm5ULpP_WYAchvKjApyjg/s1600/Cerulean+Warbler_m_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="933" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvonL07C85uWPAm2-e-an-0LO8YC75HMKVSzg15L3P7lzO2BCxMkvA8c654PwCE4UB2wMLiaAoVkKY0mAPszl8j3IOjKWd8u_hYz_wm-6dPDUH9L2MXTsaxypm5ULpP_WYAchvKjApyjg/s400/Cerulean+Warbler_m_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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2006 was Liis's "Enjoy Manitoba Birds" year. She had just retired and would try a big year in the province, something few if any birders had really tried before. It was great fun for the whole Manitoba birding community because Liis's determination was contagious. We all tried to help wherever we could and everyone got involved in some little way... it felt like a community big year with Liis at the helm!<br />
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It turned out Liis picked the right year because May saw a veritable slough of rarities, including some provincial firsts. Here are a few of the special birds that graced her list (the ones that I have photos of because we saw together), starting with this Prothonotary Warbler in early May at FortWhyte Alive:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBZUMSn4P4q2V6XBkLJBjfjXvYTqC1xPcp0lU8uvc1muglGode3uG9jra3gvmPow_Scuyby3-n9iq3WXgeVNVoA0D7bkdqJuAoEbTyIub-uxh7mkQ5j1plD9f5eAKDSeMlT0TDolR2lc/s1600/Prothonotory+Warbler+m03_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="933" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBZUMSn4P4q2V6XBkLJBjfjXvYTqC1xPcp0lU8uvc1muglGode3uG9jra3gvmPow_Scuyby3-n9iq3WXgeVNVoA0D7bkdqJuAoEbTyIub-uxh7mkQ5j1plD9f5eAKDSeMlT0TDolR2lc/s400/Prothonotory+Warbler+m03_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This Eurasian Wigeon at Oak Hammock Marsh:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFYCF4NNQ6PEKOJ0K7goSA7aHdogOCu6TCh_NYD20e-vew5AoPNxEMCZG5qrQLN8ZjpmWe8C-180LlR1j1jPkt3KJo1QITmlit763gUFJwMx4PIu6c2YAgafdjLO1MsOHQLQ4bhTPh-8/s1600/Eurasian+Wigeon+flight+1_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="939" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFYCF4NNQ6PEKOJ0K7goSA7aHdogOCu6TCh_NYD20e-vew5AoPNxEMCZG5qrQLN8ZjpmWe8C-180LlR1j1jPkt3KJo1QITmlit763gUFJwMx4PIu6c2YAgafdjLO1MsOHQLQ4bhTPh-8/s400/Eurasian+Wigeon+flight+1_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This immature Whooping Crane that over-summered near St. Adolphe to the absolute delight of so many: <br />
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Manitoba's first ever Broad-tailed hummingbird, courtesy of the Braden family and their feeders, had Liis reaching for her car keys at the speed of sound:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxeFn5qhIXxJJaUr6v59G2ETIPoq5iTv_9NujQ6kCPJYm_ayGkS_N23X05Cfyo5cSc2rgja0uoSDVbINDiKyNR4h5MUhbEV3tNJ9oguxv6Ju6lRb-uvoR2Jovp0Ag51TENFXoPMiG0cM/s1600/Broad-tailed+Hummingbird+comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxeFn5qhIXxJJaUr6v59G2ETIPoq5iTv_9NujQ6kCPJYm_ayGkS_N23X05Cfyo5cSc2rgja0uoSDVbINDiKyNR4h5MUhbEV3tNJ9oguxv6Ju6lRb-uvoR2Jovp0Ag51TENFXoPMiG0cM/s320/Broad-tailed+Hummingbird+comp.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<br />
A little later in May there was a report of a Black-necked Stilt. Liis called me and asked if I wanted to go chase it (them as it turns out). Any chance to bird Whitewater Lake was too good to pass up so off we sped looking for one more for her year list... and we were rewarded! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rfI5ZJziH3vE51hkdm-qepQvhTKXwbLECizG-hwCRlbFyySBr7gA9y3lZR20h2sJqt5SZj1KR4m8mB_IPsXH_qikUxv0UQXC-pgHteWwk_kKivrEh40bz-fCGLv3qxo3YLwJU25S7cU/s1600/Black-necked+Stilt+flight+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="933" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rfI5ZJziH3vE51hkdm-qepQvhTKXwbLECizG-hwCRlbFyySBr7gA9y3lZR20h2sJqt5SZj1KR4m8mB_IPsXH_qikUxv0UQXC-pgHteWwk_kKivrEh40bz-fCGLv3qxo3YLwJU25S7cU/s400/Black-necked+Stilt+flight+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Prairie Falcon is a bird that is never guaranteed in Manitoba so when this one came slicing through the cloud as Jo, Liis and I walked around the cells at Oak Hammock Marsh on a blustery fall day, Liis almost allowed herself a little jig!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPWRZ3WsrAulLXdPsmBHmHR3Si4IsuEijuIfcI6y4ybs-NHOJtY9RTZnzrAwcU1ZBM9gUjluIq3MnJuYUCtVrrL8jAwfl-Y2QLT7qwFv8w_zOrrb5QESMRy-dGIQf1Qhdrwb_idEuWbU/s1600/Prairie+Falcon+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="933" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPWRZ3WsrAulLXdPsmBHmHR3Si4IsuEijuIfcI6y4ybs-NHOJtY9RTZnzrAwcU1ZBM9gUjluIq3MnJuYUCtVrrL8jAwfl-Y2QLT7qwFv8w_zOrrb5QESMRy-dGIQf1Qhdrwb_idEuWbU/s400/Prairie+Falcon+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Even after her big year, for Liis, there was always the thrill of the chase too and the delight of a new bird. This Curve-billed Thrasher near Big Whiteshell Lake was one of those.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7rw6-NpxW99-FnAWJ0rRfcGP1XhmKR_h_sQpfpK8zrQI75AhJD9rxEDY5iDiF329K5FtISaiZmg6dU1gMj601W2IdmOPvNEmw_E6f7Pc2GZGU8QQ4LyPbuDU9Q1KqRgA_u6pfwBM9kU/s1600/Curve-billed+Thrasher_7712_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="933" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7rw6-NpxW99-FnAWJ0rRfcGP1XhmKR_h_sQpfpK8zrQI75AhJD9rxEDY5iDiF329K5FtISaiZmg6dU1gMj601W2IdmOPvNEmw_E6f7Pc2GZGU8QQ4LyPbuDU9Q1KqRgA_u6pfwBM9kU/s400/Curve-billed+Thrasher_7712_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After that there were many other great days birding and simple pleasures
like watching a Great Gray Owl capture a meadow vole. Sometimes though,
it is not the finest view or even the
rarest bird that lodges most firmly in memory. On a winter day with a low "ceiling" (as the bush pilots say), as the fog seemed to crystallise on the trees, a small group of friends took a stroll down a skidoo trail along the edge of the wondrous boreal forest and were greeted by this magnificent Great Gray
Owl, at one with his/her snag. A simple silence shared and, most definitely, appreciated!<br />
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There were many other discoveries and near-misses too, like the Hooded Warbler we almost found together. We were at Spirit Rock near Grand Beach. I caught a glimpse of a yellow warbler with white in the outer tail. I tried to signal to Liis who was just ahead of me, around a very slight bend in the trail. She turned and asked me if I had seen "that yellow warbler with a smudge over the top of its head"... her phrase just about floored me and we quickly realised, putting our two halves together, that we had just seen a Hooded Warbler, top and tail. We never found the bird again and we decided that the most prudent was to put it down as a near miss. Oddly enough, that image of "half a Hoodie" is more vivid than the many stunning adult males I have since observed in the south. I know that Liis remembered it vividly too because she periodically asked me if maybe we should count it, although she certainly knew that I was too stubborn for that. <br />
<br />
I don't wish to dwell on the last 7 months of her life, spent in hospital battling cancer and yet still, always, concocting schemes and adventures in the making. She would delight in detail of future far-flung birding trips to place like Newfoundland, or insane jaunts to Thunder Bay for a Finnish meal then back in time for the symphony. Liis was certainly true to her free spirit at every moment, even as the cancers slowly robbed her of the things she valued most: her freedom and her independence. In preparation for various tests in the hospital, Liis was told to choose an image to focus on. She asked me if I could share a photo of a "first-year female Mourning Warbler just about to embark upon migration". It was such a specific request but, knowing Liis, I could tell there was symbolism brewing in her active imagination. I made an 8"x10" print of the photo below for her. It stayed above her hospital bed for many months thereafter. I believe for Liis that the concept of migration was alive with personal nuance and meaning, perhaps a symbol of her very own journey. <br />
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<br />
Though the hospital experience was extremely hard on Liis, she never lost her spark. Even near the very end as her life drifted into the shadowy space between sleep and dream, Liis's personality shone through. I tried to get her attention one last time. I was not even sure if she could hear me then, though Linda and Youn-Young encouraged me to try. Though she only occasionally opened her eyes and moved her arms, her mumbled reply of "What??" when I called her name brought a smile and even a little chuckle. In that moment, her simple reaction seemed to encapsulate the feisty woman she was, the spirited soul she remained.<br />
<br />
In tribute and for posterity, here is Liis's "Enjoy Manitoba Birds" year list from 2006:<br />
<br />
1. Greater White-fronted Goose<br />
2. Snow Goose<br />
3. Ross's Goose<br />
4. Cackling Goose<br />
5. Canada Goose<br />
6. Trumpeter Swan<br />
7. Tundra Swan<br />
8. Wood Duck<br />
9. Gadwall<br />
10. Eurasian Wigeon<br />
11. American Wigeon<br />
12. American Black Duck<br />
13. Mallard<br />
14. Blue-winged Teal<br />
15. Northern Shoveler<br />
16. Northern Pintail<br />
17. Green-winged Teal<br />
18. Canvasback<br />
19. Redhead<br />
20. Ring-necked Duck<br />
21. Greater Scaup<br />
22. Lesser Scaup<br />
23. Common Eider<br />
24. Harlequin Duck<br />
25. Surf Scoter<br />
26. White-winged Scoter<br />
27. Black Scoter<br />
28. Long-tailed Duck<br />
29. Bufflehead<br />
30. Common Goldeneye<br />
31. Hooded Merganser<br />
32. Common Merganser<br />
33. Red-breasted Merganser<br />
34. Ruddy Duck<br />
35. Gray Partridge<br />
36. Ring-necked Pheasant<br />
37. Ruffed Grouse<br />
38. Spruce Grouse<br />
39. Willow Ptarmigan<br />
40. Sharp-tailed Grouse<br />
41. Wild Turkey<br />
42. Red-throated Loon<br />
43. Pacific Loon<br />
44. Common Loon<br />
45. Pied-billed Grebe<br />
46. Horned Grebe<br />
47. Red-necked Grebe<br />
48. Eared Grebe<br />
49. Western Grebe<br />
50. Clark's Grebe<br />
51. American White Pelican<br />
52. Double-crested Cormorant<br />
53. American Bittern<br />
54. Least Bittern<br />
55. Great Blue Heron<br />
56. Great Egret<br />
57. Snowy Egret<br />
58. Little Blue Heron<br />
59. Tricolored Heron<br />
60. Cattle Egret<br />
61. Black-crowned Night-Heron<br />
62. Yellow-crowned Night Heron<br />
63. Glossy Ibis<br />
64. White-faced Ibis<br />
65. Turkey Vulture<br />
66. Osprey<br />
67. Bald Eagle<br />
68. Northern Harrier<br />
69. Sharp-shinned Hawk<br />
70. Cooper's Hawk<br />
71. Northern Goshawk<br />
72. Broad-winged Hawk<br />
73. Swainson's Hawk<br />
74. Red-tailed Hawk<br />
75. Ferruginous Hawk<br />
76. Rough-legged Hawk<br />
77. Golden Eagle<br />
78. American Kestrel<br />
79. Merlin<br />
80. Gyrfalcon<br />
81. Peregrine Falcon<br />
82. Prairie Falcon<br />
83. Yellow Rail<br />
84. Virginia Rail<br />
85. Sora<br />
86. American Coot<br />
87. Sandhill Crane<br />
88. Whooping Crane<br />
89. Black-bellied Plover<br />
90. American Golden-Plover<br />
91. Semipalmated Plover<br />
92. Piping Plover<br />
93. Killdeer<br />
94. Black-necked Stilt <br />
95. American Avocet<br />
96. Greater Yellowlegs<br />
97. Lesser Yellowlegs<br />
98. Solitary Sandpiper<br />
99. Willet<br />
100. Spotted Sandpiper<br />
101. Upland Sandpiper<br />
102. Whimbrel<br />
103. Hudsonian Godwit<br />
104. Marbled Godwit<br />
105. Ruddy Turnstone<br />
106. Sanderling<br />
107. Semipalmated Sandpiper<br />
108. Least Sandpiper<br />
109. White-rumped Sandpiper<br />
110. Baird's Sandpiper<br />
111. Pectoral Sandpiper<br />
112. Dunlin<br />
113. Stilt Sandpiper<br />
114. Short-billed Dowitcher<br />
115. Long-billed Dowitcher<br />
116. Wilson's Snipe<br />
117. American Woodcock<br />
118. Wilson's Phalarope<br />
119. Red-necked Phalarope<br />
120. Parasitic Jaeger<br />
121. Franklin's Gull<br />
122. Little Gull<br />
123. Bonaparte's Gull<br />
124. Ring-billed Gull<br />
125. California Gull<br />
126. Herring Gull<br />
127. Thayer's Gull<br />
128. Glaucous Gull<br />
129. Great Black-backed Gull<br />
130. Caspian Tern<br />
131. Common Tern<br />
132. Arctic Tern<br />
133. Forster's Tern<br />
134. Black Tern<br />
135. Rock Pigeon<br />
136. Eurasian Collared-Dove<br />
137. Mourning Dove<br />
138. Black-billed Cuckoo<br />
139. Yellow-billed Cuckoo <br />
140. Eastern Screech-Owl<br />
141. Great Horned Owl<br />
142. Snowy Owl<br />
143. Northern Hawk Owl<br />
144. Burrowing Owl<br />
145. Barred Owl<br />
146. Great Gray Owl<br />
147. Long-eared Owl<br />
148. Short-eared Owl<br />
149. Boreal Owl<br />
150. Northern Saw-whet Owl<br />
151. Common Nighthawk<br />
152. Whip-poor-will<br />
153. Chimney Swift<br />
154. Broad-tailed Hummingbird <br />
155. Ruby-throated Hummingbird<br />
156. Belted Kingfisher<br />
157. Red-headed Woodpecker<br />
158. Red-bellied Woodpecker<br />
159. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker<br />
160. Downy Woodpecker<br />
161. Hairy Woodpecker<br />
162. American Three-toed Woodpecker<br />
163. Black-backed Woodpecker<br />
164. Northern Flicker<br />
165. Pileated Woodpecker<br />
166. Olive-sided Flycatcher<br />
167. Western Wood-Pewee<br />
168. Eastern Wood-Pewee<br />
169. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher<br />
170. Alder Flycatcher<br />
171. Willow Flycatcher<br />
172. Least Flycatcher<br />
173. Eastern Phoebe<br />
174. Say's Phoebe<br />
175. Great Crested Flycatcher<br />
176. Western Kingbird<br />
177. Eastern Kingbird<br />
178. Loggerhead Shrike<br />
179. Northern Shrike<br />
180. Yellow-throated Vireo<br />
181. Blue-headed Vireo<br />
182. Warbling Vireo<br />
183. Philadelphia Vireo<br />
184. Red-eyed Vireo<br />
185. Gray Jay<br />
186. Blue Jay<br />
187. Black-billed Magpie<br />
188. American Crow<br />
189. Common Raven<br />
190. Horned Lark<br />
191. Purple Martin<br />
192. Tree Swallow<br />
193. Northern Rough-winged Swallow<br />
194. Bank Swallow<br />
195. Cliff Swallow<br />
196. Barn Swallow<br />
197. Black-capped Chickadee<br />
198. Boreal Chickadee<br />
199. Red-breasted Nuthatch<br />
200. White-breasted Nuthatch<br />
201. Brown Creeper<br />
202. Carolina Wren<br />
203. House Wren<br />
204. Winter Wren<br />
205. Sedge Wren<br />
206. Marsh Wren<br />
207. Golden-crowned Kinglet<br />
208. Ruby-crowned Kinglet<br />
209. Eastern Bluebird<br />
210. Mountain Bluebird<br />
211. Townsend's Solitaire<br />
212. Veery<br />
213. Gray-cheeked Thrush<br />
214. Swainson's Thrush<br />
215. Hermit Thrush<br />
216. American Robin<br />
217. Varied Thrush<br />
218. Gray Catbird<br />
219. Northern Mockingbird<br />
220. Brown Thrasher<br />
221. European Starling<br />
222. American Pipit<br />
223. Sprague's Pipit<br />
224. Bohemian Waxwing<br />
225. Cedar Waxwing<br />
226. Golden-winged Warbler<br />
227. Tennessee Warbler<br />
228. Orange-crowned Warbler<br />
229. Nashville Warbler<br />
230. Northern Parula<br />
231. Yellow Warbler<br />
232. Chestnut-sided Warbler<br />
233. Magnolia Warbler<br />
234. Cape May Warbler<br />
235. Yellow-rumped Warbler<br />
236. Black-throated Green Warbler<br />
237. Blackburnian Warbler<br />
238. Pine Warbler<br />
239. Palm Warbler<br />
240. Bay-breasted Warbler<br />
241. Blackpoll Warbler<br />
242. Black-and-white Warbler<br />
243. American Redstart<br />
244. Prothonotary Warbler<br />
245. Ovenbird<br />
246. Northern Waterthrush<br />
247. Connecticut Warbler<br />
248. Mourning Warbler<br />
249. Common Yellowthroat<br />
250. Wilson's Warbler<br />
251. Canada Warbler<br />
252. Scarlet Tanager<br />
253. Eastern Towhee<br />
254. Spotted Towhee<br />
255. American Tree Sparrow<br />
256. Chipping Sparrow<br />
257. Clay-colored Sparrow<br />
258. Vesper Sparrow<br />
259. Lark Sparrow<br />
260. Savannah Sparrow<br />
261. Grasshopper Sparrow<br />
262. Baird's Sparrow<br />
263. Le Conte's Sparrow<br />
264. Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow<br />
265. Fox Sparrow<br />
266. Song Sparrow<br />
267. Lincoln's Sparrow<br />
268. Swamp Sparrow<br />
269. White-throated Sparrow<br />
270. Harris's Sparrow<br />
271. White-crowned Sparrow<br />
272. Dark-eyed Junco<br />
273. Lapland Longspur<br />
274. Smith's Longspur<br />
275. Chestnut-collared Longspur<br />
276. Snow Bunting<br />
277. Northern Cardinal<br />
278. Black-headed Grosbeak<br />
279. Rose-breasted Grosbeak<br />
280. Indigo Bunting<br />
281. Dickcissel<br />
282. Bobolink<br />
283. Red-winged Blackbird<br />
284. Eastern Meadowlark<br />
285. Western Meadowlark<br />
286. Yellow-headed Blackbird<br />
287. Rusty Blackbird<br />
288. Brewer's Blackbird<br />
289. Common Grackle<br />
290. Brown-headed Cowbird<br />
291. Orchard Oriole<br />
292. Baltimore Oriole<br />
293. Pine Grosbeak<br />
294. Purple Finch<br />
295. House Finch<br />
296. Red Crossbill<br />
297. White-winged Crossbill<br />
298. Common Redpoll<br />
299. Hoary Redpoll<br />
300. Pine Siskin<br />
301. American Goldfinch<br />
302. Evening Grosbeak<br />
303. House Sparrow <br />
<br />
Long may you run Liis; you will be missed!<br />
<br />
Christian (Winnipeg, 2017-09-14)artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-8614236279185068192017-09-03T13:12:00.002-07:002017-09-15T09:54:21.176-07:00Interview on Birding with Denis Chamberland of Radio-CanadaSome friends and followers may enjoy this short video, filmed one morning in Assiniboine Park, produced by Radio-Canada, about birds and birding:<br />
<b><a href="http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1053136/christian-artuso-oiseau-ornithologue-etude-canada-fureteur-manitobain?isAutoPlay=1">http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1053136/christian-artuso-oiseau-ornithologue-etude-canada-fureteur-manitobain?isAutoPlay=1</a> </b><br />
<br />
<span id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr">J'espère que</span> certains amis peuvent profiter de cette courte vidéo, filmée un matin dans
le parc Assiniboine, produite par Radio-Canada, sur les oiseaux et </span><span id="result_box" lang="fr"><span class="st">la miroise</span>: <b> </b></span><br />
<b><a href="http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1053136/christian-artuso-oiseau-ornithologue-etude-canada-fureteur-manitobain?isAutoPlay=1">http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1053136/christian-artuso-oiseau-ornithologue-etude-canada-fureteur-manitobain?isAutoPlay=1</a> </b><br />
<br />
<span id="result_box" lang="fr">Some photos from the morning below /<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr">Quelques photos du matin ci-dessous:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFLipUoOEdW3Eu8Z5-Lyjc2l-i_kiA2WAVPXB9_ev829ef0ZwF-YSYINW5uVaGHapvOGdkQg1fNQCVlaqZATBECG7480E5DUWy5lENyar9-sdQmflFcqZvsEuGAkFku0FNqRnVjdT6to/s1600/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird_0721_f_hovering_Christian+Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1124" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFLipUoOEdW3Eu8Z5-Lyjc2l-i_kiA2WAVPXB9_ev829ef0ZwF-YSYINW5uVaGHapvOGdkQg1fNQCVlaqZATBECG7480E5DUWy5lENyar9-sdQmflFcqZvsEuGAkFku0FNqRnVjdT6to/s400/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird_0721_f_hovering_Christian+Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a>Ruby-throated Hummingbird / Colibri à gorge rubis</div>
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Pileated Woodpecker / Grand Pic<br />
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Least FLycatcher / Moucherolle tchébec<br />
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Great Crested Flycatcher / Tyran huppé <br />
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Red-eyed Vireo / Viréo aux yeux rouges<br />
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Red-eyed Vireo (HY) / Viréo aux yeux rouges (<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="fr">juvénile</span>)<br />
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American Redstart (male) / Paruline flamboyante (male)<br />
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American Redstart (female) / Paruline flamboyante (femellle)<br />
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Yellow Warbler / Paruline jaune<br />
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Black-throated Green Warbler (x 2) / Paruline à gorge noire<br />
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Blackpoll Warbler / Paruline rayée<br />
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Chestnut-sided Warbler / Paruline à flancs marron<br />
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Blackburnian Warbler / Paruline à gorge orangée<br />
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Nashville Warbler / Paruline à joues grises<br />
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Bay-breasted Warbler (x 2) / Paruline à poitrine baie (x 2) <br />
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American Goldfinch (male) / Chardonneret jaune (male)artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6893905403349200487.post-36481069917454289102017-08-19T08:53:00.001-07:002017-08-31T05:51:04.659-07:00Not Magnificent anymore!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
former “Magnificent Hummingbird” complex has now been split into two species,
firstly by the IOC and more recently by the AOU, Clements and eBird following suit.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
is a comparison of the two very similar looking species created by this split.
On the left, a male <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rivoli's Hummingbird</b>
(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eugenes fulgens</i>), from Chiapas, Mexico,
and on the right, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Admirable</b> or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Talamanca Hummingbird</b> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">E. spectabilis</i>), from Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difference in plumage are tiny but the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Admirable</b> or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Talamanca Hummingbird</b> is said to have a bluer hue to its gorget and
paler underparts according to Handbook of Birds of the World (although it doesn’t
really look like the underparts are paler in these photos, that is probably an
effect of lighting and note that the gorgets are not at the right angle to see their iridescence). Despite the very minimal plumage differences, we all know
appearances can be very deceiving and there is good genetic evidence to support
their treatment as separate species (Zamudio-Beltrán and Hernández-Baños
2015).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKz1LpSS0Sj-nxyXgxLbOE9dwInH_cSKvBdVo_qy_6VKE6R1fVnZv8b85WWCXPYBCCT1DXEohWHUe8BOHEonIdHqegY4K8PHtQTKrwpDhHbHehnL_x46EdjBRrOxY6UECJQLPMSDeYZw/s1600/Rivoli%2527s+and+Talamanca+Hummingbirds_Artuso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1093" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKz1LpSS0Sj-nxyXgxLbOE9dwInH_cSKvBdVo_qy_6VKE6R1fVnZv8b85WWCXPYBCCT1DXEohWHUe8BOHEonIdHqegY4K8PHtQTKrwpDhHbHehnL_x46EdjBRrOxY6UECJQLPMSDeYZw/s400/Rivoli%2527s+and+Talamanca+Hummingbirds_Artuso.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Those
who follow eBird can read more on the split at: <a href="http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/taxonomy-update-for-2017/">http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/taxonomy-update-for-2017/</a>
and those who follow the IOC can go to: <a href="http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/hummingbirds/">http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/hummingbirds/</a>
to read more. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Although I will miss the name "Magnificent Hummingbird", "Talamanca" has a nice ring wheras the name "Admirable Hummingbird" seems a little bizarre. For the northern taxon though, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I still don't like species names based on people's names</span>. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />artuso birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17146277934040463946noreply@blogger.com0