Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus)
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Lesser Horned Owl

Bubo magellanicus (Lesson, RP, 1828)

45 cmLength1.2 kgWeight

The lesser horned owl or Magellanic horned owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a large owl of the genus Bubo found in southern South America, extending north to the central Andes.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Chile, Peru, Argentina

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Chile, Peru, Argentina

Lesser Horned Owl has been recorded at 44 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Camino a La Parva – Vegas y PastizalesChile592 records
  2. FarellonesChile241 records
  3. Humedal Lucre-HuacarpayPeru214 records
More places
  1. Quintero – PotreroChile187 records
  2. Estero MantaguaChile157 records
  3. Humedales de La CapillaChile57 records
  4. PutreChile40 records
  5. PN La Campana – OcoaChile32 records
  6. MolinosChile25 records
  7. Quebrada de MaculChile23 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ChilePeruArgentinaBolivia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The lesser horned owl or Magellanic horned owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a large owl of the genus Bubo found in southern South America, extending north to the central Andes. It has traditionally been classified as a subspecies of the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), but is now treated as a separate species based on differences in voice and size and because of the genetic distance between the two.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Lesser Horned Owl?

The Lesser Horned Owl is about 45 cm long and weighs around 1.2 kg.

Where does the Lesser Horned Owl live?

Its breeding range: South America: central Peru to Tierra del Fuego. It is most often recorded in Chile, Peru and Argentina.

When is the best time to see the Lesser Horned Owl?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Lesser Horned Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Lesser Horned Owl as Least Concern.

What does the Lesser Horned Owl eat?

Main food: Vertebrate prey.

What family is the Lesser Horned Owl in?

It belongs to the family Owls (Strigidae), order Strigiformes.

At a glance

Length
45 cm
Weight
1.2 kg
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Vertebrate prey
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
336 mm
Tail
182 mm
Bill
40 mm
Tarsus
66 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: central Peru to Tierra del Fuego

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Owls Strigidae
Genus
Bubo

Other birds in the genus Bubo

Snowy OwlSnowy OwlBubo scandiacusGreat Horned OwlGreat Horned OwlBubo virginianusEurasian Eagle-OwlEurasian Eagle-OwlBubo buboIndian Eagle-OwlIndian Eagle-OwlBubo bengalensisPharaoh Eagle-OwlPharaoh Eagle-OwlBubo ascalaphusCape Eagle-OwlCape Eagle-OwlBubo capensisArabian Eagle-OwlArabian Eagle-OwlBubo milesiGreyish Eagle-OwlGreyish Eagle-OwlBubo cinerascensSpotted Eagle-OwlSpotted Eagle-OwlBubo africanusPapuan Hawk-OwlPapuan Hawk-OwlUroglaux dimorpha
Lesser Horned Owl

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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