Nombre en español: Autillo Canela

Nombre en ingles: Cinnamon Screech-Owl

Nombre científico: Megascops petersoni

Familia: Strigidae

Foto: Diego Calderon

Audio: Lelis Navarrete (xeno-canto)

La lechuza canela o autillo canela (Megascops petersoni) es una especie de pequeño autillo sudamericano endémico de las selvas montañosas de Perú y Ecuador.

El nombre científico de canela lechuza celebra uno de los más famosos ‘observadores’ de Megascops, el padre de guías de campo modernas, Roger Tory Peterson, lechuza con la mitad de la longitud de oído-penachos. Al igual que muchas otras lechuzas de los Andes, es un habitante poco conocida de densos bosques de montaña, y casi nada se sabe acerca de su comportamiento o la ecología. Ambas formas de color rojo y marrón se han observado; ambos son bastante similares en plumaje a los respectivos morfos de la más grande rojiza lechuza (Megascops ingens) , Pero se caracterizan por su falta de blanco obvio en el plumaje, y en ser más brillante de color. La canción de esta especie es ligeramente más rápido que el de Megascops ingens. La canela lechuza por lo general se produce en las elevaciones más altas que rojiza, pero la superposición se sospecha que se produzca.

Cinnamon screech owl

One of a suite of rather recently named Megascops owls named for people, the Cinnamon Screech-Owl’s scientific name celebrates one of the most famous ‘birders’ of them all, the father of modern field guides, Roger Tory Peterson. It is found in northern Peru and southeastern Ecuador, and is a relatively small screech-owl with mid-length ear-tufts. Like many other Andean screech-owls, it is a poorly known inhabitant of dense montane forests, and almost nothing is known about its behavior or ecology. Both red and brown color morphs have been noted; both are rather similar in plumage to the respective morphs of the larger Rufescent Screech-Owl (Megascops ingens), but are characterized by their lack of obvious white in the plumage, and in being brighter colored. This species’ song is slightly faster than that of Megascops ingens. Cinnamon Screech-Owl usually occurs at higher elevations than Rufescent, but overlap is suspected to occur.

The cinnamon screech owl (Megascops petersoni) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is very poorly known and has been known to science for less than 30 years.

Description

The Cinnamon Screech Owl is a small owl, roughly 21 cm long with a weight of 88-120 grams. It is tawny in colour, with streaks down the breast and mottling on the mantle and back. The flight feathers are barred, as are the tail feathers. It has dark brown eyes, a blue-gray bill, and medium-length ear tufts. No juvenile has ever been described.

Distribution and habitat

This owl is only known to occur in the eastern foothills of the Andes from southern Ecuador to northern Peru. It is also possible that it occurs in the eastern Andes of Colombia as well. Its main habitat is cloud forests, particularly between 1700m and 2500m above sea level.