The Santa Marta screech owl (''Megascops gilesi'') is a species of

owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

in the family

Strigidae The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...

. It is found only in the

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (English: ''Snow-Covered Mountain Range of Saint Martha'') is an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia, separate from the Andes range that runs through the north of the country. Reaching an elevation of ...

of Colombia.Kirwan, G. M. (2020). Santa Marta Screech-Owl (''Megascops gilesi''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.samsco1.01

Taxonomy and systematics

The Santa Marta screech owl was formally described in 2017, though a specimen collected in 1919 was thought at the time to perhaps be a "distinct form". Relatively recent sightings of individuals that have been retroactively assigned to the species predate 2017. It is thought to be most closely related to West Peruvian screech owl (''M. roboratus''), tawny-bellied screech owl (''M. watsonii''), and black-capped screech owl (''M. atricapilla'').

Description

The Santa Marta screech owl is a medium-sized member of genus ''Megascops'', though the length and mass of the 1919 specimen were not published. The plumage is similar to that of others of its genus, having a reddish to grayish-brown head, back, chest, and wings and a pale belly. The crown and back are barred, the chest has darker brown streaks, and the belly has pale brown barring. The tarsi have golden-buff feathers.

Distribution and habitat

The Santa Marta screech owl is known only from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northern Colombia. Almost all records are from the San Lorenzo ridge and nearby areas, which have easy access and are regularly visited by bird tour groups. There are a smaller number of eBird reports in the central part of the mountain range. The species is thought to inhabit humid forest from but may possibly range higher.

Behavior and ecology

Nothing is known about the species' diet and foraging behavior. The only data relative to breeding is that the

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wiktionary:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to a ...

was in breeding condition when collected in March 1919.

Status

The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

has classed the Santa Marta screech owl as Vulnerable. The species has a restricted range, being found only in the relatively small Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Most of the native forest cover has been replaced by pine and eucalyptus plantations and livestock pastures. The species' estimated population is 2300 to 7500 mature individuals and its suitable habitat and population are believed to be declining.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q50839744 Santa Marta screech owl Endemic birds of Colombia Birds of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Santa Marta screech owl Taxa named by Niels Krabbe