Subspecies
Monotypic species
Genus
Members of the genus Strix are the wood owls. They are medium to large owls, having a large, rounded head and no ear-tufts. The comparatively large eyes range from yellow through to dark brown. Colouring is generally designed fro camouflage in woodland, and a number of the member of this genus have colour phases. There are 20 species scattered practically throughout the globe with the exception of Australasia, the South Pacific and Madagascar, where the genus Ninox takes its place. There being no clear generic differences between Strix and Ciccaba genera, and DNA evidence suggesting very close relationships, many authorities now merge the latter into the former.
Physical charateristics
identify this reportedly endangered bird, which may eventually be displaced by Barred Owl.
Listen to the sound of Spotted Owl
[audio:https://planetofbirds.com/MASTER/STRIGIFORMES/Strigidae/sounds/Spotted Owl.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 112 | cm | wingspan max.: | 116 | cm |
| size min.: | 42 | cm | size max.: | 44 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 29 | days | incubation max.: | 31 | days |
| fledging min.: | 34 | days | fledging max.: | 36 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
Habitat
Along Pacific seaboard, mainly in undisturbed old-growth timber, including Douglas-fir and redwoods. In Southwest, generally in forested mountains and canyons, especially where tall trees grow close to rocky cliffs.
Reproduction
Nest: Chooses a sheltered site inside large hollow tree in deep forest, in cave or crevice in cliff, sometimes in old stick nest of hawks or other large birds. No nest built, makes simple scrape in debris in bottom of site.
Eggs sometimes 1-3, rarely 4. Whitish. Incubation is by female only, 28-32 days. Male feeds female during incubation.
Young:
Female remains with young at first; male brings food for female and young. After about 2 weeks, female hunts also. If humans approach nest, adults perch nearby but make no active defense. Young leave nest at about 5 weeks and fed by parents f
or some time thereafter.
Feeding habits
Behavior: Hunts mostly at night, but also by day while nesting. Hunts mostly by watching from a perch, then swooping out to capture prey in talons. Prey is taken from the ground and out of trees, and bats may be captured in the air.
Video Spotted Owl
copyright: Seth Ames
Conservation
Strix occidentalis has a population of c.15,000 individuals in four subspecies: caurina has a minimum of 3778 pairs and 1,001 territorial individuals from south-west British Columbia, Canada, to north California, USA; the nominate has a minimum of 3050 individuals in central and south California, USA, and (formerly) Baja California, Mexico; lucida has a minimum of 777-1554 individuals from Utah and Colorado to Arizona, New Mexico and extreme west Texas, USA, and also occurs in Sonora, Chihuahua and Nuevo Leon to Jalisco, Durango, Michoacan and Guanajuanto, Mexico; and juanaphillipsae has been recently described from the State of Mexico. Mexican populations may be stable because habitat tolerance is combined with forestry activities that typically modify rather than destroy habitat. Most other populations are declining and, in some, the decline is accelerating because of clear-felling and selective logging. The species is close to extinction in Canada.
Migration
Distribution map
