World Owl Species

The largest owl species is the Eagle Owl found in North Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East, can weigh over 9 lbs and take prey as large as a roe deer fawn.  The smallest owl species weigh about 1.6 oz.  They are the Least Pygmy Owl found in the tropical forests of eastern Brazil and far eastern Paraguay and the Elf Owl found in the arid southwestern United States and Mexico.

Orinmegalonyx  is believed to be the first owl species 58 million years ago (Tū-shēēr-ē) Tertiary Period.  It was ground dwelling, 3 ft (1.1 meter) tall and approximately 20 lbs (9kg)

Family: Tytonidae (Barn, Grass & Bay Owls)

Genus: Tyto (Barn & Grass Owls)
Common Barn Owl Tyto alba
Ashy-faced Owl Tyto glaucops
Andaman Barn Owl Tyto deroepstorffi
Madagascar Red Owl Tyto soumagnei
Golden Masked Owl Tyto aurantia
Taliabu Masked Owl Tyto nigrobrunnea
Minahassa Masked Owl Tyto inexspectata
Lesser Masked Owl Tyto sororcula
Seram Masked Owl Tyto almae
Manus Masked Owl Tyto manusi
Sulawesi Masked Owl Tyto rosenbergii
Australian Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae
Tasmanian Masked Owl Tyto castanops
African Grass Owl Tyto capensis
Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris
Lesser Sooty Owl Tyto multipunctata
Greater Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa
Itombwe Owl Tyto prigoginei

Genus: Phodilus (Bay Owls)
Oriental Bay Owl Phodilus badius
Sri Lanka Bay Owl Phodilus assimilis

Family: Strigidae (Typical Owls)

Genus: Otus (Scops Owls)
White-fronted Scops Owl Otus sagittatus
Reddish Scops Owl Otus rufescens
Serendib Scops Owl Otus thilohoffmanni
Cinnamon Scops Owl Otus icterorhynchus
Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae
Andaman Scops Owl Otus balli
Flores Scops Owl Otus alfredi
Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus
Javan Scops Owl Otus angelinae
Mindanao Scops Owl Otus mirus
Luzon Scops Owl Otus longicornis
Mindoro Scops Owl Otus mindorensis
São Tomé Scops Owl Otus hartlaubi
Madagascar Scops Owl Otus rutilus
Torotoroka Scops Owl Otus madagascariensis
Mayotte Scops Owl Otus mayottensis
Grand Comoro Scops Owl Otus pauliani
Anjouan Scops Owl Otus capnodes
Mohéli Scops Owl Otus moheliensis
Pemba Scops Owl Otus pembaensis
Common Scops Owl Otus scops
Cyprus Scops Owl Otus cyprius
Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei
Arabian Scops Owl Otus pamelae
Socotra Scops Owl Otus socotranus
African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis
Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia
Ryukyu Scops Owl Otus elegans
Moluccan Scops Owl Otus magicus
Wetar Scops Owl Otus tempestatis
Sula Scops Owl Otus sulaensis
Biak Scops Owl Otus beccarii
Sulawesi Scops Owl Otus manadensis
Sangihe Scops Owl Otus collari
Mantanani Scops Owl Otus mantananensis
Seychelles Scops Owl Otus insularis
Nicobar Scops Owl Otus alius
Simeulue Scops Owl Otus umbra
Enggano Scops Owl Otus enganensis
Mentawai Scops Owl Otus mentawi
Rajah Scops Owl Otus brookii
Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji
Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia
Indian Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena
Japanese Scops Owl Otus semitorques
Philippine Scops Owl Otus megalotis
Everett's Scops Owl Otus everetti
Negros Scops Owl Otus nigrorum
Palawan Scops Owl Otus fuliginosus
Wallace's Scops Owl Otus silvicola

Genus: Psiloscops (Flammulated Owl)
Flammulated Owl Psiloscops flammeolus

Genus: Megascops (American Screech Owls)
Western Screech Owl Megascops kennicottii
Eastern Screech Owl Megascops asio
Oaxaca Screech Owl Megascops lambi
Pacific Screech Owl Megascops cooperi
Whiskered Screech Owl Megascops trichopsis
Bearded Screech Owl Megascops barbarus
Balsas Screech Owl Megascops seductus
Bare-shanked Screech Owl Megascops clarkii
Tropical Screech Owl Megascops choliba
Koepcke's Screech Owl Megascops koepckeae
Peruvian Screech Owl Megascops roboratus
Tumbes Screech Owl Megascops pacificus
Montane Forest Screech Owl Megascops hoyi
Rufescent Screech Owl Megascops ingens
Santa Marta Screech Owl Megascops gilesi
Colombian Screech Owl Megascops colombianus
Cinnamon Screech Owl Megascops petersoni
Cloud-forest Screech Owl Megascops marshalli
Northern Tawny-bellied Screech Owl Megascops watsonii
Southern Tawny-bellied Screech Owl Megascops usta
Black-capped Screech Owl Megascops atricapillus
Long-tufted Screech Owl Megascops sanctaecatarinae
Vermiculated Screech Owl Megascops vermiculatus
Chocó Screech Owl Megascops centralis
Roraima Screech Owl Megascops roraimae
Guatemalan Screech Owl Megascops guatemalae
Rio Napo Screech Owl Megascops napensis
Puerto Rican Screech Owl Megascops nudipes
White-throated Screech Owl Megascops albogularis

Genus: Pyrroglaux (Palau Owl)
Palau Owl Pyrroglaux podarginus

Genus: Gymnoglaux (Bare-legged Owl)
Cuban Bare-legged Owl Gymnoglaux lawrencii

Genus: Ptilopsis (White-faced Owls)
Northern White-faced Owl Ptilopsis leucotis
Southern White-faced Owl Ptilopsis granti

Genus: Mimizuku (Giant Scops Owl)
Giant Scops Owl Mimizuku gurneyi

Genus: Bubo (Snowy, Horned, Eagle & Fish Owls)
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Magellanic Horned Owl Bubo magellanicus
Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo
Pharaoh Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus
Indian Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis
Cape Eagle Owl Bubo capensis
Spotted Eagle Owl Bubo africanus
Greyish Eagle Owl Bubo cinerascens
Fraser's Eagle Owl Bubo poensis
Usambara Eagle Owl Bubo vosseleri
Verreaux's Eagle Owl Bubo lacteus
Shelley's Eagle Owl Bubo shelleyi
Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus
Forest Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis
Dusky Eagle Owl Bubo coromandus
Akun Eagle Owl Bubo leucostictus
Philippine Eagle Owl Bubo philippensis
Blakiston's Fish Owl Bubo blakistoni
Brown Fish Owl Bubo zeylonensis
Buffy Fish Owl Bubo ketupu
Tawny Fish Owl Bubo flavipes
Pel's Fishing Owl Bubo peli
Rufous Fishing Owl Bubo ussheri
Vermiculated Fishing Owl Bubo bouvieri

Genus: Pulsatrix (Spectacled Owls)
Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata
Short-browed Owl Pulsatrix pulsatrix
Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana
Band-bellied Owl Pulsatrix melanota

Genus: Strix (Wood Owls)
Spotted Wood Owl Strix seloputo
Mottled Wood Owl Strix ocellata
Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica
Himalayan Wood Owl Strix newarensis
Eurasian Tawny Owl Strix aluco
Omani Owl Strix omanensis
Hume's Tawny Owl Strix butleri
African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii
Mottled Owl Strix virgata
Rufous-legged Owl Strix rufipes
Chaco Owl Strix chacoensis
Rusty-barred Owl Strix hylophila
Rufous-banded Owl Strix albitarsis
Black-and-White Owl Strix nigrolineata
Black-banded Owl Strix huhula
Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis
Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens
Barred Owl Strix varia
Sichuan Wood Owl Strix davidi
Ural Owl Strix uralensis
Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa

Genus: Jubula (Maned Owl)
Maned Owl Jubula lettii

Genus: Lophostrix (Crested Owl)
Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata

Genus: Surnia (Northern Hawk Owl)
Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula

Genus: Glaucidium (Pygmy Owls)
Eurasian Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum
Red-chested Owlet Glaucidium tephronotum
Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei
Northern Pygmy Owl Glaucidium californicum
Cape Pygmy Owl Glaucidium hoskinsii
Mountain Pygmy Owl Glaucidium gnoma
Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl Glaucidium nubicola
Guatemalan Pygmy Owl Glaucidium cobanense
Costa Rican Pygmy Owl Glaucidium costaricanum
Cuban Pygmy Owl Glaucidium siju
Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl Glaucidium sanchezi
Colima Pygmy Owl Glaucidium palmarum
Central American Pygmy Owl Glaucidium griseiceps
Least Pygmy Owl Glaucidium minutissimum
Pernambuco Pygmy Owl Glaucidium mooreorum
Amazonian Pygmy Owl Glaucidium hardyi
Subtropical Pygmy Owl Glaucidium parkeri
Andean Pygmy Owl Glaucidium jardinii
Yungas Pygmy Owl Glaucidium bolivianum
Peruvian Pygmy Owl Glaucidium peruanum
Austral Pygmy Owl Glaucidium nana
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
Ridgway's Pygmy Owl Glaucidium ridgwayi
Chaco Pygmy Owl Glaucidium tucumanum
Barred Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum
Chestnut-backed Owlet Glaucidium castanotum
Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides
Javan Owlet Glaucidium castanopterum
Sjöstedt's Owlet Glaucidium sjostedti
African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense
Chesnut Owlet Glaucidium castaneum
Etchécopar's Owlet Glaucidium etchecopari
Albertine Owlet Glaucidium albertinum

Genus: Xenoglaux (Long-whiskered Owlet)
Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi

Genus: Micrathene (Elf Owl)
Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi

Genus: Athene (Little Owls)
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
Forest Owlet Athene blewitti
Little Owl Athene noctua
Spotted Owlet Athene brama

Genus: Aegolius (Forest Owls)
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
Unspotted Saw-whet Owl Aegolius ridgwayi
Buff-fronted Owl Aegolius harrisii

Genus: Ninox (Hawk Owls)
Rufous Owl Ninox rufa
Powerful Owl Ninox strenua
Barking Owl Ninox connivens
Sumba Boobook Owl Ninox rudolfi
Little Sumba Hawk Owl Ninox sumbaensis
Togian Hawk Owl Ninox burhani
Cinnabar Hawk Owl Ninox ios
Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae
Southern Boobook Owl Ninox boobook
Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata
Andaman Hawk Owl Ninox affinis
Madagascar Hawk Owl Ninox superciliaris
Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis
Mindoro Hawk Owl Ninox mindorensis
Mindanao Hawk Owl Ninox spilocephala
Romblon Hawk Owl Ninox spilonota
Cebu Hawk Owl Ninox rumseyi
Camiguin Hawk Owl Ninox leventisi
Sulu Hawk Owl Ninox reyi
Ochre-bellied Hawk Owl Ninox ochracea
Solomons Hawk Owl Ninox jacquinoti
Jungle Hawk Owl Ninox theomacha
Speckled Hawk Owl Ninox punctulata
New Britain Hawk Owl Ninox odiosa
Moluccan Hawk Owl Ninox squamipila
Halmahera Boobook Owl Ninox hypogramma
Tanimbar Boobook Owl Ninox forbesi
Christmas Island Hawk Owl Ninox natalis
Manus Hawk Owl Ninox meeki
Bismarck Hawk Owl Ninox variegataGenus: Uroglaux (Papuan Hawk Owl)
Papuan Hawk Owl Uroglaux dimorpha

Genus: Sceloglaux (Laughing Owl)
Laughing Owl Sceloglaux albifacies

Genus: Nesasio (Fearful Owl)
Fearful Owl Nesasio solomonensis

Genus: Pseudoscops (Jamaican Owl)
Jamaican Owl Pseudoscops grammicus

Genus: Asio (Eared Owls & allies)
Stygian Owl Asio stygius
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Abyssinian Long-eared Owl Asio abyssinicus
Madagascar Long-eared Owl Asio madagascariensis
Striped Owl Asio clamator
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Galápagos Short-eared Owl Asio galapagoensis
Marsh Owl Asio capensis

244 owl species listed.