ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - SHORT-EARED OWL (ASIO FLAMMEUS)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Subfamily : Asioninae
Genus : Asio
Species : A. Flammeus

Description:

The Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is a species of typical owl (family Strigidae). Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the Eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. Asio flammeus will display its tufts when in a defensive pose. However, it’s very short tufts are usually not visible. The short-eared owl is found in open country and grasslands. The word flammeus is Latin for "flaming, or the color of fire".

The Short-eared owl is a medium-sized owl measuring 34–43 cm (13–17 in) in length and weighing 206–475 g (7.3–16.8 oz). It has large eyes, a big head, a short neck, and broad wings. Its bill is short, strong, hooked and black. Its plumage is mottled tawny to brown with a barred tail and wings. The upper breast is significantly streaked. Its flight is characteristically floppy due to its irregular wingbeats. The short-eared owl may also be described as "moth or bat-like" in flight. Wingspans range from 85 to 110 cm (33 to 43 in). Females are slightly larger than males. The yellow-orange eyes of A. flammeus are exaggerated by black rings encircling each eye, giving the appearance of them wearing mascara, and large, whitish disks of plumage surrounding the eyes like a mask.

Binomial Name:

Name : Asio flammeus
Taxonomist : Erik Pontoppidan (Aarhus - Denmark)
Year : 1763
Subspecies : 10 (Flammeus, Suinda, Bogotensis, … )
Synonyms : Asio accipitrinus

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 6 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - TROPICAL SCREECH OWL (MEGASCOPS CHOLIBA)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Megascops
Species : M. choliba

Description:

The Tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) is a small species of owl in the family Strigidae.

It is found throughout South America (including Trinidad and Tobago), except in the Andes, the arid Pacific lowlands, and the far south. Its distribution also extends into southern Central America in Costa Rica and Panama. It is generally common – in large parts of its range among the most common species of owls and likely the most common screech owl of the tropics. It occurs in a wide range of wooded habitats, ranging from arid Caatinga to dense rainforest, and even city parks.

This polymorphic species is highly variable in color, it being overall grey-brown or (less commonly) brown or rufous, but always with a relatively distinctive blackish edge to the face and yellow irises. The length is 21–23 centimeters (8.3–9.1 in) long and weight is 97–160 grams (3.4–5.6 oz).

Binomial Name:

Name : Megascops choliba
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : 9 (Choliba, Luctisomus, Margaritae, … )
Synonym : Otus choliba

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - BURROWING OWL (ATHENE CUNICULARIA)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Athene
Species : A. Cunicularia

Description:

The Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated by prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). Unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls are often active during the day, although they tend to avoid the midday heat. But like many other kinds of owls, burrowing owls do most of their hunting from dusk until dawn, when they can use their night vision and hearing to their advantage. Living in open grasslands as opposed to the forest, the burrowing owl has developed longer legs, which enables it to sprint as well as fly when hunting.

Binomial Name:

Name : Athene cunicularia
Taxonomist : Juan Ignacio Molina (Guaraculén - Chile)
Year : 1782
Subspecies : Around 20 (Cunicularia, Grallaria, Hypugaea, … )
Synonym : Strix cunicularia, Speotyto cunicularia, Spheotyto cunicularia (lapsus)

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 3 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - GREAT HORNED OWL (BUBO VIRGINIANUS)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Bubo
Species : B. Virginianus

Description:

The Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the Tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") or the Hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extremely adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. Its primary diet appears to be rabbits and hares, rats and mice and voles, although it freely hunts any animal it can overtake, primarily other rodents and small mammals, but also larger mid-sized mammals, various birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. In ornithological study, the great horned owl is often compared to the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), a closely related species which, despite the latter's notably larger size, occupies the same ecological niche in Eurasia, and the Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), with which it often shares similar habitat, prey and nesting habits by day and is thus something of a diurnal ecological equivalent. The Great horned owl is one of the earliest nesting birds in North America, often laying eggs weeks or even months before other raptorial birds.

Binomial Name:

Name : Bubo virginianus
Taxonomist : Johann Friedrich Gmelin
Year : 1788
Subspecies : 10 – 20+ (Virginianus, Nacurutu, Subarticus, … )
Synonym : Strix virginiana

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - BIRDS - OWLS - BUFF-FRONTED OWL (AEGOLIUS HARRISII)

Animals - Birds - Owls

Buff-fronted owl (Aegolius harrisii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Strigiformes
Family : Strigdae
Genus : Aegolius
Species : A. Harrisii

Description:

The Buff-fronted owl (Aegolius harrisii) is a small Owl. It is a rare and local resident in the highlands of South America from Venezuela south and east to Peru, northern Argentina and northwest Paraguay. The range is effectively separated into two parts by the unsuitable habitat of the Amazon basin.

This nocturnal bird breeds in open mountain forests, laying its eggs in a tree hole. It takes rodents and other small mammals as its main prey, but will also feed on birds and insects.

The Buff-fronted owl is a small, compact, short-tailed and broad-winged owl, 23 cm long and weighing 130 g. It is black above with white flecking on the wings. The underparts are unstreaked buff and the tail is brown with two spotted white bars. The head is large, with yellow eyes and a black-edged buff facial disc. The flight is strong and direct. The voice is a quavering trill sometimes varying in pitch.

The binomial commemorates the American ornithologist Edward Harris.

Binomial Name:

Name : Aegolius Harrisii
Taxonomist : John Cassin
Year : 1849
Subspecies : 3 (Dabbenei, Harrisii, Iheringi)
Synonym : Nyctale Harrisii

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2015 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 8, from Owls Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 30th, 2015
Printed: 10.000 copies
Type : Stamp from Series of 8 Stamps
Value : UYP 15

Stamp : Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated