Rio Napo Screech-Owl
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| Rio Napo Screech-owl | ||||||||||||||
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| Megascops napensis (Chapman, 1928) |
The Rio Napo Screech-Owl (Megascops napensis; originally, Otus napensis) is a species of vermiculated screech-owl.[1] It was first described and noted by ornithologist Frank Michler Chapman in 1928, then classified in the Otus genus. It is commonly distributed in many parts of South America, such as in Eastern Ecuador, the east of Columbia, along the slopes of the Andes, certain regions of Peru, and up into northern Bolivia. The Rio Napo Screech-owl's habitat of preference is typically dense, tropical rainforest, most preferably between 250 and around 1500 metres above sea level.[2]
The bird typically has a body length of between 20 and 23 cm (8-9 in), with a wing length of between approximately 15 and 17 cm (6-7 in). It typically has a tail around 8 cm (3 in) in length, while its beak is usually only around 2 cm (1 in) long. Its tarsus can be anywhere up to 3 cm (1ΒΌ in) long.[2]
Taxonomically, the owl was originally placed in the Otus genus, when first described by Frank Michler Chapman, but was later re-evaluated and resorted into the Megascops genus upon review of the bird's characteristics.[3] This change originally occurred around 1850, when it was realised that the genus Otus in fact encompassed several separate genera, and the Screech-owls were broken off into the Megascops genus. However, the change was reversed in 1910, and the Rio Napo Screech-Owl, along with all the other Screech-owls, were resorted back into the Otus genus. This reversal stayed in place all through the 20th century, but, further consideration resulted into the reformation of the Megascops genus by the American Ornithologists Union (AOU), and all the Screech-owls were again reclassified.[4]
The Rio Napo Screech-owl has three known and documented subspecies:
- Megascops napensis napensis
- Megascops napensis helleri
- Megascops napensis bolivianus
[edit] Notes
- ^ Carriker, Melbourne Armstrong Jr. (2006). Experiences of an Ornithologist Along the Highways and Byways of Bolivia. AuthorHouse. ISBN 1420882902.
- ^ a b Friedhelm Weick (2006). Owls (Strigiformes): Annotated and Illustrated Checklist. Springer. ISBN 3540352341.
- ^ Recently changed genus names within the family "Typical Owls". Retrieved on 24 May 2008.
- ^ Banks, Richard C.; Cicero, Carla; Dunn, Jon L.; Kratter, Andrew W.; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Remsen, J.V. Jr.; Rising, James D. & Stotz, Douglas F.
