Photo: Couiros22 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chaco Owl
Strix chacoensis
Chaco Owl (Strix chacoensis) — Owls of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chaco Owl (Strix chacoensis) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 330 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Strix
- Species chacoensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 330 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chaco Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Chaco Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chaco Owl (Strix chacoensis) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Bolivia and w Paraguay to c Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 330 g, with a wing length of about 27.4 cm and a tail of around 15.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 766,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chaco Owl?
The Chaco Owl is a large bird that weighs around 330 g.
Where does the Chaco Owl live?
The Chaco Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA s Bolivia and w Paraguay to c Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chaco Owl belong to?
The Chaco Owl (Strix chacoensis) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Chaco Owl eat?
The Chaco Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Chaco Owl migrate?
The Chaco Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chaco Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Chaco Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Chaco Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chaco Owl's range?
The Chaco Owl has a mapped global range of about 766,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.