Magellanic Eagle Owl
| Magellanic Eagle Owl | ||||||||||
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Magellanic Eagle Owl ( Bubo magellanicus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Bubo magellanicus | ||||||||||
| ( Lesson , 1828) |
The Magellanic Eagle Owl ( Bubo magellanicus ) is a species from the family of real owls. For a long time it was classified as a subspecies of the Great Horned Owl. In the meantime, however, there is widespread scientific consensus that this owl is a separate species.
features
The Magellanic Eagle Owl is slightly smaller than the Great Horned Owl and reaches a body length of about 45 centimeters. The males have a wing length between 31.8 and 35.6 centimeters. In the females, the wing length is 33 to 36.8 centimeters. They weigh around 800 grams.
Compared to the Great Horned Owl, the beak is narrow, the feet are a little less powerful and the feather ears are smaller, narrower and more pointed. The underside of the body has fine, dark transverse bands that are denser and more regular than the great horned owl.
The male's song is onomatopoeic circumscribed bu-hóohworrr ; the emphasis is on the second syllable. Females sing similarly, but call the hworrr part longer. During courtship, males and females occasionally call alternately.
distribution and habitat
The Magellanic eagle owl is a bird of the Andes. It occurs accordingly in central Peru , Bolivia and Argentina as well as Chile . It can be found in Tierra del Fuego up to Cape Horn . Basically, the Magellan's eagle owl is a resident bird. However, the young birds show a more pronounced dispersion migration, especially in autumn. For the populations occurring in the extreme south, migratory movements in a northerly direction have also been observed during the winter half-year.
The habitat of the Magellanic Eagle Owl are rocky forests, semi-deserts. Its height distribution extends from the lowlands to above the tree line in mountains. The upper distribution limit is 4,500 meters above sea level. Occasionally it also uses human settlement space and is also found in city parks in Patagonia, where the species is particularly common.
Way of life
The Magellanic Eagle Owl is predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal. In the extreme south of its range, it can occasionally be observed before sunset or sunrise. It usually transmits sitting on a branch in the immediate vicinity of the tree trunk. He also uses caves and crevices as a transmission hiding place. The food spectrum includes smaller mammals up to the size of rabbits as well as birds and reptiles. It is very likely that larger insects and spiders are also included in its prey scheme.
The reproductive biology of the Magellanic Eagle Owl has not yet been studied very intensively. However, like most eagle owl species, it is territorial. Males sing from different vaults to indicate the boundaries of their territory. The nest is built on the ground. The clutch consists of two to three white eggs that are laid in late southern winter or early spring. Only the females breed, and they start the breeding business after the first egg-laying. The male provides the female with food during the breeding season. The young birds are fed by both parents. The young birds leave the nest before they are fully fledged and wander around near the nesting site.
The Magellanic Eagle Owl is a common species in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. In Chile, populations have increased after the introduction of rabbits.
supporting documents
Single receipts
literature
- Claus König , Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2
