Bubo magellanicus
The Lesser Horned Owl, *Bubo magellanicus*, is a striking medium-sized owl native to South America, often distinguished by its prominent ear tufts and intense yellow eyes. Measuring approximately 45-50 cm in length with a wingspan of 100-110 cm and weighing between 600-900g, its plumage varies from grey-brown to rufous, intricately mottled with dark streaking across its underparts, providing excellent camouflage. Key field marks for identification include its relatively smaller size compared ...
This adaptable owl thrives in diverse environments, from open woodlands, scrublands, and rocky hillsides to semi-arid regions and high-altitude Andean slopes, occurring from sea level up to elevations exceeding 4,500 meters.
Primarily a carnivore, its diet consists mainly of small to medium-sized mammals such as rodents and rabbits, along with small birds, reptiles, and large insects, hunted by perching and pouncing.
Strictly nocturnal, the Lesser Horned Owl typically spends its days roosting cryptically in dense foliage, rock crevices, or sheltered cliff ledges, occasionally exhibiting crepuscular activity. Its primary foraging strategy is a classic perch-and-pounce technique, where it surveys its surroundin...
The Lesser Horned Owl boasts a significant and stable distribution across South America. Its breeding range extends primarily along the Andes Mountain chain, from central Peru southward through Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, reaching as far as Tierra del Fuego. It also inhabits eastern Patagonia ...
Least Concern
- The Lesser Horned Owl was long considered a subspecies of the Great Horned Owl (*Bubo virginianus*) until genetic research in the early 2000s confirmed its status as a distinct species. - It is one of the highest-dwelling owls in South America, regularly found at elevations over 4,500 meters in...