Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Buff-fronted Owl
Aegolius harrisii
Buff-fronted Owl (Aegolius harrisii) — Owls of South America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
See what's near you right nowThe Buff-fronted Owl (Aegolius harrisii) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 120 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 Aegolius
- Species harrisii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 120 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Buff-fronted Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Buff-fronted Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Buff-fronted Owl (Aegolius harrisii) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e, c.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 120 g, with a wing length of about 15 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Buff-fronted Owl?
The Buff-fronted Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 120 g.
Where does the Buff-fronted Owl live?
The Buff-fronted Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA e, c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Buff-fronted Owl belong to?
The Buff-fronted Owl (Aegolius harrisii) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Buff-fronted Owl eat?
The Buff-fronted Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Buff-fronted Owl migrate?
The Buff-fronted Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Buff-fronted 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 Buff-fronted Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Buff-fronted Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Buff-fronted Owl's range?
The Buff-fronted Owl has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million 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.