The striped owl is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy stripes. The underparts are pale tawny with dusky streaks. It is native to South America and parts of Central America.
Region
Central and South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Central America (e.g., Panama and Costa Rica) through northern and central South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay. It favors savannas, llanos, pampas, marsh edges, open woodlands, forest borders, and agricultural landscapes with scattered trees. Often avoids dense interior rainforest, preferring mosaics of open ground and cover for hunting and roosting. Frequently seen near wetlands and along pasture edges where rodent prey is abundant.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The striped owl is a medium-sized, long-eared owl of the Neotropics that favors open and edge habitats over dense rainforest. It hunts mainly from low perches or by coursing slowly over grasslands, using keen hearing to locate prey. Nests are typically on the ground or in low vegetation, and birds are mostly solitary outside the breeding season.
Striped owl
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
buoyant flight with short rapid wingbeats and glides
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary, roosting low in dense vegetation by day. Pairs form during the breeding season and are thought to be monogamous. Nests are usually on the ground or in low shrubs, with 2–4 eggs and both adults attending the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include deep, resonant hoots given in spaced sequences and harsh, cat-like screams. Males give lower-pitched hoots, while females often produce higher or raspier calls. Calling intensifies at dusk and during the breeding season.
