Puerto Rico Screech School
| Puerto Rico Screech School | ||||||||||
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Puerto Rico Screech Owl ( Megascops nudipes ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Megascops nudipes | ||||||||||
| ( Daudin , 1800) |
The Puerto Rico Screech Owl ( Megascops nudipes ) is a species from the family of real owls. It occurs exclusively in Puerto Rico, making it the only screech owl that is endemic to an island. It is the oldest described screech owl, but was first assigned to the genus Strix by its first describer .
Appearance
With a body size of about 20 to 22 centimeters, the Puerto Rico screech owl is a small to medium-sized species within its genus. Similar to the white-throated screech owl , it lacks feather ears , which are otherwise characteristic of the screech owl genus. The legs are only half feathered, the eyes are brown. The face veil has no noticeable border.
In the distribution area of the Puerto Rico screech owl, there are few possibilities for confusion with other owl species. The only owl that belongs to the real owls is the short- eared owl . This is significantly larger, has short feather ears and yellow eyes.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the Puerto Rico Screech Owl is Puerto Rico, Isla de Vieques, Isla de Culebra and the adjacent Virgin Islands. The species is a resident bird. The Puerto Rico screech owl inhabits dense woodland, thickets and caves. It has also opened up human settlement space as a habitat. Their altitude distribution ranges from sea level to altitudes of 900 meters.
Way of life
The Puerto Rico Screech Owl is a nocturnal species of owl. It transmits in the dense foliage of trees or thickets, but also uses caves as a daytime resting place. Their food spectrum consists mainly of insects and spiders. Occasionally it also hits smaller vertebrates. According to the current state of knowledge, the breeding season falls between April and June. The clutch consists of two to three white eggs that are incubated by the female alone. During the breeding season, the male provides food for the female.
supporting documents
Single receipts
literature
- Claus König , Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2
Web link
- Megascops nudipes inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Endangered Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.