Crested Owl
A species of Crested Owl Scientific name : Lophostrix cristata Genus : Crested Owl
Crested Owl, A species of Crested Owl
Botanical name: Lophostrix cristata
Genus: Crested Owl
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Description People often ask General Info
Description
The crested owl is a medium-sized owl with a total length ranging from 38 to 43 cm and weighs 425 to 620 grams. It is distinctively recognized with its very long white or buff colored ear tufts and its prominent whitish eyestripe that extends into the ear tufts. The Iris varies from yellow to brown mottled with rufous. The bill is generally yellow or darker and its toes are a pale grey-brown colour. The mesoptile (down feathers) of juveniles is whitish. Their facial disk is dark, and the ear tufts are short. The flight and tail feathers are similar to adults. 
Size
36-43 cm (14-17 in)
Feeding Habits
Crested Owl predominantly consumes large insects and small vertebrates. This owl employs nocturnal hunting techniques, utilizing its keen sense of hearing and silent flight to locate prey. Crested Owl exhibits specialized dietary preferences, favoring a varied diet within its forested habitat.
Habitat
Crested Owl is prevalent in subtropical or tropical moist lowland and montane forests, where it dwells in regions like undisturbed secondary growth, evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, and riparian zones. This species favors humid environments, often establishing roosts within dense vegetation and is frequently found near water. Crested Owl's habitat also includes tall second-growth woodlands, gallery forests, and areas with a high density of snags and fallen logs. It is commonly associated with old-growth and secondary forests, ranging from sea level to elevations of about 2000 meters, with some occurrences in cloud forests as high as 1950 meters.
Dite type
Carnivorous
People often ask
General Info
Behavior
As with most owls, this species is strictly nocturnal. They generally roost with their pair-member during the day in dense bushes, along forested streams or rivers and like to perch 3 to 10 meters above ground. When the crested owl is disturbed while roosting, it becomes slim and erects its ear tufts high.
Distribution Area
The crested owl is found in Central America and northern South America, where it occurs in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It is found in the Amazon Basin except in the north-west basin region with western Guyana, Venezuela, and central-eastern Colombia.
Species Status
According to the IUCN red list of threatened species, the crested owl is of least concern as of 2012, with populations classified as stable. Even though the populations are decreasing, the species has an extremely large range and is estimated to have a population of over 10,000 mature individuals. It is suspected to lose 18-21% of suitable habitat within its range over the next 17 years, thus suspected to decline by 25% over three generations. This owl is still fairly common in undisturbed primary forests of the amazon, but could become locally endangered where deforestation takes place.
Scientific Classification
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