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Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide - Paperback | Diverse Reads

Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide

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The superlative identification guide to 268 species of owl, now in paperback.

Praise for the first edition:

"A native of Finland, the author is the world's best-known owl expert, having visited the birds in 128 countries over the past 40 years. Here he describes all of the world's 249 species of owls in copious detail with tips on identification, habitat, calls, and status and distribution. The text is enhanced by 750 color photographs from leading wildlife photographers. A spectacular book."
—Library Journal, Best Reference 2012

"Owl enthusiasts will recognize Owls of the World as an important new reference work written by a world authority. Highly recommended."
—Wildlife Afield Journal, Biodiversity Centre for Wildlife Studies

"[An] important book. Recommended for most libraries — good value and quality for the price."
—Booklist

Owls of the World, second edition, is the ultimate photographic resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic birds of prey. It is packed with spectacular photography of 268 species of owls from all over the world, including extinct species. Many of the images are of highly elusive species very rarely caught on camera. The photos are accompanied by authoritative text describing:

  • Identification notes
  • Habitat
  • Population status
  • Voice
  • Food
  • Distribution
  • Accurate range maps
  • Similar species.

The photographic coverage includes plumages and subspecies which promotes differentiation between species, making this the definitive work on owl identification. Similar-looking ("confusion") species are included and owls are shown as adults from a perspective which clearly shows markings that assist in identification.

For birders, naturalists, wildlife photographers, researchers and any fan of the Order Strigiformes, Owls of the World is the definitive work on species identification as well as a comprehensive encyclopedia for reference and pleasure.

ISBN-13: 9780228102366

Media Type: Paperback(Second Edition)

Publisher: Firefly Books Limited

Publication Date: 10-04-2019

Pages: 528

Product Dimensions: 6.60(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.30(d)

Heimo Mikkola is the world's best-known owl expert. Originally from Finland, he has traveled to 128 countries in the course of his 40-year research career in search of nocturnal birds.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
What Makes an Owl?

Vision
Hearing
Significance of ear-tufts
Silent flight
Bill and claws

The Nature of Owls

Shape and size
Calls
Colour variation and ageing
Abnormalities in owl plumage
Moult
Food and hunting
Habitat
Behaviour
Intraguild aggression
Breeding strategies
Longevity records
Movements

Evolution of Owls
Distribution and Biogeography
Taxonomy and DNA-sequencing
Owls and Humans
Conservation
Extinct Owls
'Owlaholics'
Owl Associations and Global Research Organisations

Owls on the internet

Species Accounts

Photographs
Distribution maps
References
Topography of a typical owl
Abbreviations
Glossary

The Species Accounts

TYTONIDAE: BARN, GRASS AND BAY OWLS

1. BARN OWL (Tyto alba)
2. AMERICAN BARN OWL (Tyto furcata)
3. CURACAO BARN OWL (Tyto bargei)
4. LESSER ANTILLES BARN OWL (Tyto insularis)
5. GALAPAGOS BARN OWL (Tyto punctatissima)
6. CAPE VERDE BARN OWL (Tyto detorta)
7. SAO TOME BARN OWL (Tyto thomensis)
8. AUSTRALIAN BARN OWL (Tyto delicatula)
9. BOANG BARN OWL (Tyto crassirostris)
10. ANDAMAN BARN OWL (Tyto deroepstorffi)
11. ASHY-FACED OWL (Tyto glaucops)
12. MADAGASCAR RED OWL (Tyto soumagnei)
13. GOLDEN MASKED OWL (Tyto aurantia)
14. TALIABU MASKED OWL (Tyto nigrobrunnea)
15. EASTERN GRASS OWL (Tyto longimembris)
16. AFRICAN GRASS OWL (Tyto capensis)
17. LESSER MASKED OWL (Tyto sororcula)
18. AUSTRALIAN MASKED OWL (Tyto novaehollandiae)
19. MANUS MASKED OWL (Tyto manusi)
20. SULAWES I MASKED OWL (Tyto rosenbergii)
21. TASMANIAN MASKED OWL (Tyto castanops)
22. SULAWESI GOLDEN OWL (Tyto inexspectata)
23. LESSER SOOTY OWL (Tyto multipunctata)
24. GREATER SOOTY OWL (Tyto tenebricosa)
25. ITOMBWE OWL (Tyto prigoginei)
26. ORIENTAL BAY OWL (Phodilus badius)
27. SRI LANKA BAY OWL (Phodilus assimilis)

STRIGIDAE: TRUE OWLS

28. COMMON SCOPS OWL (Otus scops)
29. PALLID SCOPS OWL (Otus brucei)
30. ARABIAN SCOPS OWL (Otus pamelae)
31. AFRICAN SCOPS OWL (Otus senegalensis)
32. SOCOTRA SCOPS OWL (Otus socotranus)
33. CINNAMON SCOPS OWL (Otus icterorhynchus)
34. SOKOKE SCOPS OWL (Otus ireneae)
35. PEMBA SCOPS OWL (Otus pembaensis)
36. SAO TOME SCOPS OWL (Otus hartlaubi)
37. SEYCHELLES SCOPS OWL (Otus insularis)
38. MAYOTTE SCOPS OWL (Otus mayottensis)
39. GRANDE COMORE SCOPS OWL (Otus pauliani)
40. ANJOUAN SCOPS OWL (Otus capnodes)
41. MOHELI SCOPS OWL (Otus moheliensis)
42. MADAGASCAR SCOPS OWL (Otus rutilus)
43. TOROTOROK A SCOPS OWL (Otus madagascariensis)
44. MOUNTAIN SCOPS OWL (Otus spilocephalus)
45. INDIAN SCOPS OWL (Otus bakkamoena)
46. ORIENTAL SCOPS OWL (Otus sunia)
47. COLLARED SCOPS OWL (Otus lettia)
48. JAPANESE SCOPS OWL (Otus semitorques)
49. ELEGANT SCOPS OWL (Otus elegans)
50. SUNDA SCOPS OWL (Otus lempiji)
51. NICOBAR SCOPS OWL (Otus alius)
52. SIMEULUE SCOPS OWL (Otus umbra)
53. ENGGANO SCOPS OWL (Otus enganensis)
54. MENTAWAI SCOPS OWL (Otus mentawi)
55. RAJAH SCOPS OWL (Otus brookii)
56. SINGAPORE SCOPS OWL (Otus cnephaeus)
57. LUZON LOWLAND SCOPS OWL (Otus megalotis)
58. MINDANAO LOWLAND SCOPS OWL (Otus everetti)
59. VISAYAN LOWLAND SCOPS OWL (Otus nigrorum)
60. GIANT SCOPS OWL (Otus gurneyi)
61. PALAWAN SCOPS OWL (Otus fuliginosus)
62. WHITE-FRONTED SCOPS OWL (Otus sagittatus)
63. REDDISH SCOPS OWL (Otus rufescens)
64. SERENDIB SCOPS OWL (Otus thilohoffmanni)
65. ANDAMAN SCOPS OWL (Otus balli)
66. JAVAN SCOPS OWL (Otus angelinae)
67. WALLACE'S SCOPS OWL (Otus silvicola)
68. FLORES SCOPS OWL (Otus alfredi)
69. MINDANAO SCOPS OWL (Otus mirus)
70. LUZON SCOPS OWL (Otus longicornis)
71. MINDORO SCOPS OWL (Otus mindorensis)
72. RINJANI SCOPS OWL (Otus jolandae)
73. MOLUCCAN SCOPS OWL (Otus magicus)
74. WETAR SCOPS OWL (Otus tempestatis)
75. SULA SCOPS OWL (Otus sulaensis)
76. BIAK SCOPS OWL (Otus beccarii)
77. SULAWESI SCOPS OWL (Otus manadensis)
78. KALIDUPA SCOPS OWL (Otus kalidupae)
79. BANGGAI SCOPS OWL (Otus mendeni)
80. Siau SCOPS OWL (Otus siaoensis)
81. SANGIHE SCOPS OWL (Otus collari)
82. MANTANANI SCOPS OWL (Otus mantananensis)
83. FLAMMULATED OWL (Psiloscops flammeolus)
84. WESTERN SCREECH OWL (Megascops kennicottii)
85. EASTERN SCREECH OWL (Megascops asio)
86. PACIFIC SCREECH OWL (Megascops cooperi)
87. OAXACA SCREECH OWL (Megascops lambi)
88. WHISKERED SCREECH OWL (Megascops trichopsis)
89. BEARDED SCREECH OWL (Megascops barbarus)
90. BALSAS SCREECH OWL (Megascops seductus)
91. BARE-SHANKED SCREECH OWL (Megascops clarkii)
92. TROPICAL SCREECH OWL (Megascops choliba)
93. MARIA KOEPC'S SCREECH OWL (Megascops koepckeae)
94. PERUVIAN SCREECH OWL (Megascops roboratus)
95. TUMBES SCREECH OWL (Megascops pacificus)
96. MONTANE FOREST SCREECH OWL (Megascops hoyi)
97. RUFESCENT SCREECH OWL (Megascops ingens)
98. SANTA MARTA SCREECH OWL (Megascops 'gilesi')
99. COLOMBIAN SCREECH OWL (Megascops colombianus)
100. CINNAMON SCREECH OWL (Megascops petersoni)
101. CLOUD-FOREST SCREECH OWL (Megascops marshalli)
102. NORTHERN TAWNY-BELLIED SCREECH OWL (Megascops watsonii)
103. SOUTHERN TAWNY-BELLIED SCREECH OWL (Megascops usta)
104. BLACK-CAPPED SCREECH OWL (Megascops atricapilla)
105. SANTA CATARINA SCREECH OWL (Megascops sanctaecatarinae)
106. VERMICULATED SCREECH OWL (Megascops vermiculatus)
107. CHOCI SCREECH OWL (Megascops centralis)
108. RORAIMA SCREECH OWL (Megascops roraimae)
109. GUATEMALAN SCREECH OWL (Megascops guatemalae)
110. PUERTO RICAN SCREECH OWL (Megascops nudipes)
111. RIO NAPO SCREECH OWL (Megascops napensis)
112. WHITE-THROATED SCREECH OWL (Megascops albogularis)
113. PALAU OWL (Pyrroglaux podarginus)
114. CUBAN BARE-LEGGED OWL (Gymnoglaux lawrencii)
115. NORTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL (Ptilopsis leucotis)
116. SOUTHERN WHITE-FACED OWL (Ptilopsis granti)
117. SNOWY OWL (Nyctea scandiaca)
118. GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus)
119. MAGELLANIC HORNED OWL (Bubo magellanicus)
120. EURASIAN EAGLE OWL (Bubo bubo)
121. PHARAOH EAGLE OWL (Bubo ascalaphus)
122. ROCK EAGLE OWL (Bubo bengalensis)
123. CAPE EAGLE OWL (Bubo capensis)
124. AKUN EAGLE OWL (Bubo leucostictus)
125. SPOTTED EAGLE OWL (Bubo AFRICANus)
126. GREYISH EAGLE OWL (Bubo cinerascens)
127. FRASER'S EAGLE OWL (Bubo poensis)
128. USAMBARA EAGLE OWL (Bubo vosseleri)
129. MILKY EAGLE OWL