Photo: Milodon3 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Horned Owl
Bubo magellanicus
Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus) — Owls of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 1.2 kg. 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 Bubo
- Species magellanicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- 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 Lesser Horned 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 Lesser Horned Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c Peru to Tierra del Fuego.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 33.6 cm and a tail of around 18.2 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 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Horned Owl?
The Lesser Horned Owl is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.
Where does the Lesser Horned Owl live?
The Lesser Horned Owl is found across South America with a range covering SA c Peru to Tierra del Fuego, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Lesser Horned Owl belong to?
The Lesser Horned Owl (Bubo magellanicus) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Lesser Horned Owl eat?
The Lesser Horned Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Lesser Horned Owl migrate?
The Lesser Horned Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Lesser Horned 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 Lesser Horned Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Horned Owl — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Lesser Horned Owl's range?
The Lesser Horned Owl has a mapped global range of about 2.4 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.