Puerto Rican Screech-owl

Taxobox
name = Puerto Rican Screech Owl
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=48522|title=Megascops nudipes|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern ]


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Aves
ordo = Strigiformes
familia = Strigidae
genus = "Megascops"
species = "M. nudipes"
binomial = "Megascops nudipes"
binomial_authority = Daudin, 1800
subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
subdivision = "M. n. nudipes" "M. n. newtoni"

The Puerto Rican Screech Owl ("Megascops nudipes") or "Múcaro" (Spanish via Taino) is a nocturnal endemic owl of the archipelago of Puerto Rico belonging to the "Megascops" genus of the Strigidae family. The subspecies, "M. n . newtoni", which was endemic to the Virgin Islands, was locally referred to as the Cuckoo Bird.

Taxonomy

The nominate form, "M. n. nudipes", was originally described in 1800 by French ornithologist François Marie Daudin in "Traite elementaire et complet d'Ornithologie, ou Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux" as "Otus nudipes". The species name, "nudipes", makes reference to its bare legs and toes which is unusual among "Megascops sp.". The recognized subspecies, "M. n. newtoni", was described in 1860 by Lawrence in the "Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History" and is considered extinct. [A 1995 survey in the Virgin Islands did not find any individuals.] Furthermore, the validity of this subspecies has been questioned. [cite book|last = Biaggi|first = V.|year = 1970|editor = Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico|title = Las Aves de Puerto Rico|publisher = Manuel Pareja Publ.|location = Barcelona, Spain|id = es icon] Verify source|date=January 2008

Description

The Puerto Rican Screech Owl is a small owl poseessing a brown upperside, a light-brown to white underside white brown lines and white eyebrows. Sexual dimorphism is minor in this species with females being slightly larger than males. On average, males weigh 137 g and females 143 g. The species measures from 23 to 25 cm in length.

The species is common in the island of Puerto Rico but is extirpated at the nearby islands of Vieques and Culebra. As with the majority of birds in Puerto Rico it is believed to have been more abundant before the clearing of forests for agricultural development in the early 20th century. It inhabits forests with large hollowed trees such as the Caribbean National Forest.

The breeding season spans from April to June.cite web|url = http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Megascops&species=nudipes|title = The Owl Pages: Puerto Rican Screech Owl - Megascops nudipes|accessdate = May 20|accessyear = 2006] It nests in hollowed trunks and 1 or 2 eggs are deposited in each nest.

The main diet of the species consists of large insects and is complemented with small birds, geckos and small rodents.

The species calls throughout the year while hidden in thick foliage, typically at dawn. The species makes a loud coo-coo call which is the reason for its common name in the Virgin Islands.

ee also

*List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico
*List of Puerto Rican birds

Footnotes

References

*cite web
last = Lewis
first = Deane, P.
year =
url = http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Megascops&species=nudipes
title = Puerto Rican Screech Owl - "Megascops nudipes"
format =
work =
pages =
publisher = The Owl Pages
accessdate = April 28
accessyear = 2006
*cite book|last=Oberle|first=Mark|year=2003|title=Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografías|publisher=Editorial Humanitas|id = ISBN 0-9650104-2-2 es icon