Jamaican owl

Jamaican owl
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Pseudoscops
Kaup, 1848
Species: P. grammicus
Binomial name
Pseudoscops grammicus
(Gosse, 1847)

The Jamaican owl (Pseudoscops grammicus) is a medium-sized tawny colored owl that is endemic to the island of Jamaica. It is considered by some the only member of its genus Pseudoscops, while other authorities include in it the striped owl.

Description

It has dark brown barring, flecking and streaks and its amber facial disk is rimmed in black-flecked white. It has hazel eyes, long ear tufts and a grayish-yellow bill. It mainly uses open habitats with scattered clumps of trees, generally in lowlands. It is nocturnal and eats mainly large insects, spiders, amphibians, lizards, birds and rodents. It lays its eggs in tree cavities. This species is common and widespread throughout its limited range.

References

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