Photo: Larry Kay / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Band-bellied Owl
Pulsatrix melanota
Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) — Owls of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 82 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Pulsatrix
- Species melanota
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Band-bellied 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 Band-bellied Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Colombia to Bolivia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82 g, with a wing length of about 27.6 cm and a tail of around 17.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 157,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Band-bellied Owl?
The Band-bellied Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82 g.
Where does the Band-bellied Owl live?
The Band-bellied Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA se Colombia to Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Band-bellied Owl belong to?
The Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Band-bellied Owl eat?
The Band-bellied Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Band-bellied Owl migrate?
The Band-bellied Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Band-bellied Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Band-bellied Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Band-bellied 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 Band-bellied Owl's range?
The Band-bellied Owl has a mapped global range of about 157,000 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.