The striped owl (Asio clamator ) is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy stripes. The underparts are pale tawny with dusky streaks. It is native to South America and parts of Central America.
The Striped owl is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy stripes. The underparts are pale tawny with dusky streaks. Both the male and the female in this species look similar.
Striped owls are native to South America and parts of Central America. They inhabit riparian woodlands, marshes, savannas, grassy open areas, and tropical rainforests. These owls can also be found in agricultural areas and wooded suburban zones.
Striped owls are usually seen alone or in pairs and outside of the breeding season they may gather in small groups to roost during the daytime. These birds do their hunting at dusk and at night. Striped owls usually hunt flying low over open country and when the prey is spotted they drop down to capture it with their sharp talons. They may also hunt from a perch sitting quietly and waiting until the prey is noticed. The common call of Striped owls is a loud and long 'wheeyoo'. The song of the male is a series of 'hoooooh' hoots and the female utters a similar but more shrilled song. Both sexes may also communicate with the 'hu-how-how-how' barks.
Striped owls are carnivores that take mainly small mammals and birds. They will also hunt large insects and occasionally reptiles.
Striped owls are monogamous and have only one partner; however, when prey is abundant males may mate with several females (polygynous behavior). The breeding season of these birds varies with location but usually occurs from August to March. During this time males perform courtship displays to attract the female. Striped owls nest on the ground in long grass or under the bush. Some nests, however, can be found in trees. Females lay 2-4 eggs and incubate them alone for about 30-33 days. Usually, only 1 or 2 owlets fledge successfully. This happens about 35 days after hatching when they young are able to consume food on their own. The owlets generally stay with their parents several weeks more until they are ready to take care of themselves on their own.
The Striped owl has a very large range and its population is believed to be stable. This species faces no particular threats but locally it may suffer from collisions with vehicles and shooting.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Striped owl population size is around 500,000-4,999,999 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.