RAPTORS of The World
Raptors are carnivorous. They hunt by sight during the day, are long lived, and have low reproductive rates. The catch their prey via strong claws – three pointing forward and one pointing backward. The raptors that hunt by day are: hawks, eagle, buzzards, harriers, kites, vultures, falcons, caracaras. Owls hunt by night. Raptors are also called birds of prey.
OWLS
Order Strigiformes
Owls are found on all continents except Antarctica. Owls are divided into two families: the typical owls, Strigidae; and the barn-owls, Tytonidae. They range in size from 13-70 cm. Owls do not construct nests, but rather look for a sheltered nesting site or an abandoned nest in trees, underground burrows, or in buildings, barns and caves.
Owls are solitary and nocturnal. They hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds though a few species specialize in hunting fish. Most hunt for prey only in the darkness. Much of the owls' hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. They are very quiet in flight plus they have dull colors. Owls have large forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye. The facial disc helps to funnel the sound of prey to their ears. Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets, as with other birds, and they must turn their entire head to change views. Owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as 270 degrees in either direction.
Family Strigidae
The owls in the Strigidae family are known as the true owls or the typical owls. See above for their description.
Genus Aegolius
Owl, Boreal also Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Maik Meid 2) Mdf - Ontario, Canada 3) Andrea Pokrzywinski - Alaska
1) Fledgling
Owl, Northern Saw-whet Aegolius acadicus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Kathy and Sam 2) RBS 10025 3) Alan D. Wilson - Morden Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia 4) J N Stuart
1) Fledglings
Genus Asio
Owl, Long-eared Asio otus Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Morongo Valley Riparian Preserve, California 2) Alpo Roikola
3) Joseph Oliver 4) Greg Smith - California 5) Mindaugas Urbonas
1) Fledglings
Owl, Marsh Asio capensis Found: Africa
Photographed by Arno Meintjes
Owl, Short-eared Asio flammeus Found: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Winnu 2) Caryn - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
3, 4) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 5) Dario Sanches - Brazil
Genus Athene
Owl, Burrowing Athene cunicularia Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 4) Alan D Wilson - Farm Road Off SR17, Near Othello, Washington
2) Dick Daniels - Center for Birds of Prey, Charleston, South Carolina 3) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo
Owl, Little Athene noctua Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Trebol-a
Owlet, Spotted Athene brama Found: Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) J.M. Garg - India 2) Charlie Westerinen near Phnom Pehn, Cambodia
Genus Bubo
Owl, Cape Eagle- Bubo capensisFound: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - World of Birds, South Africa 2) Dick - World of Birds, 3, 4) Arno Meintjes
Owl, Eurasian Eagle Bubo bubo Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 2, 3) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
4 ) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center 5) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center 6) Dick - World , South Africa
6) Turkmenian Eagle Owl (Bubo Bubo turcomanus)
Owl, Rock Eagle also Bengal Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis Found: Indian Subcontinent
Photographed by Dick Daniels - World of Birds, South Africa
Owl, Great Horned Bubo virginianus Found: North America, South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 3) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
4) Dick - Brookfield Gardens, South Carolina 5, 6) Dick - Sunset Beach, NC
6) Owlet
Owl, Snowy Bubo scandiacus (formerly in genus Nyctea) Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Anchorage Zoo, Alaska 2) Dick - Anchorage Zoo 3) Tony Hisgett
4) Elaine R. Wilson - Saint Barthelemy, Near Montreal, Quebec
Owl, Spotted Eagle- Bubo africanus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Eagle Encounters, South Africa 2, 3, 4, 5) Dick - Eagle Encounters
Owl, Verreaux's Eagle Bubo lacteus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - San Diebo Zoo 3) Dick Daniels - World of Birds, South Africa 4) Arno Meintjes
Genus Ciccaba
Owl, Black-and-white Ciccaba nigrolineata Found: South America
Photographed by: Len Blumin
Owl, Mottled Ciccaba virgata Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dominic Sherony
Genus Glaucidium
Owl, Austral Pygmy Glaucidium nanum Found: South America
Photographed by: Joshua Stone - Chile
Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy- Glaucidium brasilianum Found: North Americaa (Arizona), South America
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and the Northern Pygmy-Owl are very similar in appearance. If found in California and northward then it is a Northern Pygmy-owl. Also, Northern Pygmy-Owl has a spotted crown of head while Ferruginous has a streaked crown.
1) Fledgling
Owl, Northern Pygmy- Glaucidium gnoma Found: western North America, Central America
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and the Northern Pygmy-Owl are very similar in appearance. If found in California and northward then it is a Northern Pygmy-owl. Also, Northern Pygmy-Owl has a spotted crown of head while Ferruginous has a streaked crown.
Owlet, Asian Barred Glaucidium cuculoides Found: Asia
Photographed by: JJ Harrisonin - Nakhon Sawan,Thailand
Owlet, Pearl Spotted Glaucidium perlatumFound: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2 Arno Meintjes
Genus Lophostrix - 1 species
Owl, Crested Lophostrix cristata Found: Central and South America
Photographed by: Dominic Sherony - Panama
Genus Megascops
Screech Owls
Owl, Eastern Screech Megascops asio Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 4) Dick - North Carolina
1, 2) Gray phase 4) Red phase
Owl, Tropical Screech- Megascops choliba Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Dominic Sherony - La Mesa, Coclé, Panama
Owl, Western Screech- Megascops kennicottii Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Beth Hoffman - Arizona 2) SearchNet Media - Arizona 3) Bryant Olsen
Owl, Whiskered Screech- Megascops trichopsis Found: North America (Arizona), Central America
Photographed by: David Bygott - Arizona
Genus Micrathene - 1 species
Owl, Elf Micrathene whitneyi Found: southwest United States and Mexico
Photographed by: 1) H. Dwight Beers- Maricopa County, Arizona 2) Dominic Sherony
3) Bryant Olsen - West of Wickenburg 4) Charlie Westerinen - captivity at Tucson, AZ
Genus Ninox
Owl, Barking Ninox connivens Found: Australia
Photographed by: Julie Edgley
Owl, Boobook also Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae Found: Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1) Hase - Queenstown's Kiwi Birdlife Park 2) Aviceda - Warkworth, New Zealand
3) David Cook - Wamboin, NSW, Australia 4) Oystercatcher
Genus Otus
Owl, African Scops Otus senegalensis Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Arno Meintjes
Owl, Flammulated Otus flammeolus Found: western North America
Photographed by: 1) Dave Menke, USFWS 2) USGS 3) Sugarbear96 4) Jerry Oldenettel - New Mexico
1) Fledgling 2) Gray phase 3, 4) Red Phase
Genus Ptilopsis
Owl, Northern White-faced Ptilopsis leucotis Found: Africa
Formerly considered a subspecies of the White-faced Scops Owl, Ptilopsis leucoti
Owl, Southern White-faced Ptilopsis granti Found: Africa
Formerly considered a subspecies of the White-faced Scops Owl, Ptilopsis leucotis
Genus Pulsatrix
Owl, Spectacled Pulsatrix perspicillata Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center
Owl, Tawny-browed Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dario Sanches - Brazil
Genus Strix
Owl, African Wood Strix woodfordii Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Sofia, Sophia 2, 3, 4) Arno Meintjes
Owl, Barred Strix varia Found: North America and Central America
The backs of a Barred Owl and Spotted Owl are similar, but the chest and face are distinctive.
3) Dick - Sandwich, New Hampshire 4, 5) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
Owl, Fulvous Strix fulvescens Found: Central America
Photographed by: 1) Dominic Sherony 2) Jorge Montejo
Owl, Great Gray also Lapland Owl Strix nebulosa Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Brian Scott 2) Olibac 3) Crotach - Finland
4) Alan D. Wilson - Colony Farm Regional Park, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Owl, Spotted Strix occidentalis Found: western North America
The backs of a Barred Owl and Spotted Owl are similar, but the chest and face are distinctive.
2) Strix occidentalis caurina
Owl, Tawny Strix aluco Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) KM_Hansche 2) Chrumps 3) bartbblom - Netherlands
3) Juvenile
Genus Surnia - 1 species
Owl, Northern Hawk Surnia uluaa Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Alan D Wilson - Morden Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia 3) Alan - Pincourt, Near Montreal, Quebec
Order Strigiformes Family Tytonidae
Barn-owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. They also differ from Strigidae owls in structural details relating in particular to the sternum and feet.
Genus Tyto
Owl, Barn Tyto alba Found: North America and almost everywhere else in the world
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 2, 4, 7) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center
5) Dick - Center for 6, 8) Dick - Eagle Encounters, South Africa
Owl, Eastern Grass Tyto longimembris Found: Australia , Asia
Photographed by John Gould
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.