Spectacled Owl
Pulsatrix perspicillata
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Strigiformes · Strigidae
About
The spectacled owl also called a Murucututu, is a large tropical owl native to the neotropics. It is a resident breeder in forests from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northwestern Argentina. There are six subspecies. One is occasionally treated as a separate species called the short-browed or brown-spectacled owl but the consensus is that it is still merely a race until more detailed analysis can be done.
Fun Fact
Spectacled owls get their name from the bold white 'spectacles' around their eyes — juveniles are the reverse, with white bodies and dark facial discs, looking nothing like the adults.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Dense tropical rainforests
Diet
Carnivore
Lifespan
25-35 years
Threats
- Habitat Fragmentation
- Wildfire