Strix (bird)

''Strix'' is a genus of owls in the typical owl family (Strigidae), one of the two generally accepted living families of owls, with the other being the barn-owl (Tytonidae). Common names are earless owls or wood owls, though they are not the only owls without ear tufts, and " wood owl" is also used as a more generic name for forest-dwelling owls. Neotropical birds in the genus ''Ciccaba'' are sometimes included in ''Strix''.

These are medium-sized to large, robustly built, powerful owls. They do not have ear tufts and most are highly nocturnal woodland birds. Most prey on small mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Most owls in the genus ''Strix'' can be distinguished from other genera of owls through their hooting vocalization and lack of visible ears.

The Latin genus name ''Strix'' referred to a mythical vampiric owl-monster believed to suck the blood of infants. Although the genus ''Strix'' was established for the earless owls by Linnaeus in 1758, many applied the term to other owls (namely the ''Tyto'') until the late 19th century.Mlíkovský, Jirí (2002)
''Cenozoic Birds of the World, Part 1: Europe''
. Ninox Press, Prague.
p.217 This genus is closely related to the extinct Ornimegalonyx.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Strix'' was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. The type species is the tawny owl. The genus name is a Latin word meaning "owl".

Species

The genus contains 22 species:
* Spotted wood owl, ''S. seloputo''
* Mottled wood owl, ''S. ocellata''
* Brown wood owl, ''S. leptogrammica''
* Tawny owl, ''S. aluco''
* Maghreb owl, ''S. mauritanica''
* Himalayan owl, ''S. nivicolum''
* Desert owl, ''S. hadorami''
* Omani owl, ''S. butleri''
* Spotted owl, ''S. occidentalis''
* Barred owl, ''S. varia''
* Cinereous owl, ''S. sartorii''
* Fulvous owl, ''S. fulvescens''
* Rusty-barred owl, ''S. hylophila''
* Chaco owl, ''S. chacoensis''
* Rufous-legged owl, ''S. rufipes''
* Ural owl, ''S. uralensis''
* Great grey owl, ''S. nebulosa''
* African wood owl, ''S. woodfordii''
* Mottled owl, ''Strix virgata''
* Black-and-white owl, ''Strix nigrolineata''
* Black-banded owl, ''Strix huhula''
* Rufous-banded owl, ''Strix albitarsis''

Fossil species

The genus ''Strix'' is well represented in the fossil record. Being a fairly generic type of strigid owl, they were probably the first truly modern Strigidae to evolve. However, whether several of the species usually placed in this genus indeed belong here is uncertain.

Generally accepted in ''Strix'' are:
*''S. dakota'' (Early Miocene of South Dakota, USA) – tentatively placed here
*''Strix'' sp. (Late Miocene of Nebraska, USA)
*''Strix'' sp. (Late Pliocene of Rębielice Królewski, Poland) apparently similar to the great grey owl
*''Strix intermedia'' (Early - Middle Pleistocene of EC Europe) – may be paleosubspecies of ''S. aluco''
*''Strix brea'' (Late Pleistocene of SW North America) Now placed in its own genus. (See below)
*
*''Strix'' sp. (Late Pleistocene of Ladds, USA)

''"Strix" wintershofensis'' (Early/Middle Miocene of Wintershof West, Germany) and ''"Strix" edwardsi'' (Middle Miocene of Grive-Saint-Alban, France), while being strigid owls, have not at present been reliably identified to genus; they might also belong into the European ''Ninox''-like group.

''"Strix" ignota'' (Middle Miocene of Sansan, France) is sometimes erroneously considered a ''nomen nudum'', but this assumption is based on what appears to be a ''lapsus'' or misprint in a 1912 source. It may well belong into the present genus, but this requires confirmation.

''"Strix" perpasta'' (Late Miocene – Early Pliocene of Gargano Peninsula, Italy) does not appear to belong into this genus either. It is sometimes considered a junior synonym of a brown fish-owl paleosubspecies.

UMMP V31030, a coracoid from Late Pliocene Rexroad Formation deposits of Kansas (USA), cannot be conclusively assigned to either the present genus or '' Bubo''.

Extinct forms formerly in ''Strix'':
* ''"Strix" antiqua'' – now in '' Prosybris''
* ''"Strix" brea'' - now ''Oraristrix brea''
* ''"Strix" brevis'' – now in '' Intutula''
* ''"Strix" collongensis'' – now in '' Alasio''
* ''"Strix" melitensis'' and ''"Strix" sanctialbani'' – now in ''Tyto''
* ''"Strix" murivora'' – male of the Rodrigues scops owl
* ''"Strix" newtoni'' and ''"Strix" sauzieri'' – male and female of the Mauritius scops owl

References

Further reading

* Milne-Edwards, Alphonse (1869–1871)
''Recherches anatomiques et paléontologiques pour servir à l'histoire des oiseaux fossiles de la France''
(Vol. 2). G. Masson, Paris.
*

{{Taxonbar, from=Q241515

Bird genera
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus