|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
Strigidae
Strigidae (owls; class Aves, order Strigiformes) A family of small to large owls that have brown, grey, and black, cryptically marked plumage. They have facial discs, and many have ‘ear’ tufts (e.g. the six species of Asio, 12 species of Bubo (eagle owls), and 35 species of Otus (scops owls and screech owls), many of which have unfeathered legs; the 11 species of Strix, which have barred, spotted, or streaked under-parts, are not ‘eared’). Their claws are not pectinate. They inhabit forest, grassland, and desert, feed on fish, mammals, birds, and insects, and nest on ledges, in tree cavities, abandoned nests, or in burrows. Some pygmy owls and owlets (13–15 species of Glaucidium) are barely larger than a sparrow; they are partly diurnal and feed partly on birds and insects, some of which are caught on the wing. There are 22 genera in the family, with 122 species, some migratory, found world-wide.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "Strigidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "Strigidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (February 9, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Strigidae.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "Strigidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved February 09, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Strigidae.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
