Jamaican Owl Asio grammicus Scientific name definitions

The Jamaican Owl is a unique owl endemic to the island of Jamaica and is the only species in the genus Pseudoscops. An unmistakable bird, with jet-black eyes, conspicuous ear-tufts, and a rufous overall coloration, the Jamaican Owl can be found in open woodland, forest edge, open parkland, and even gardens. Considering its size, it specializes in surprisingly small prey, and feeds mainly on insects, especially beetles, but will also feed on lizards, tree frogs and small rodents. Despite its small range, the Jamaican Owl's population is believed to be stable and consequently has not been placed on any threatened species lists, but more work needs to be done on this species' population biology.

27–33 cm (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 335 g (n = 1 of unknown sex (2 Dunning, J. B., Jr. (2008). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses. Second edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA. Close ) ). Medium-sized owl with conspicuous ear tufts; well-developed facial disc rufous, edged white and black; upperparts rufous, finely vermiculated black; breast and belly rufous with narrow dark brown shaft streaks ; flight-feathers and tail short, irregularly barred dark brown; irides hazel-brown (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); cere and bill grey; toes naked and greyish-brown. Juvenile lighter above, with back light greyish-brown, rest of plumage light dull cinnamon-buff.

Jamaica.

Open woodland, forest edge, occasionally open parkland, plantations and gardens; sometimes in small patches of woods amidst open areas (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Mainly in coastal and lowland areas, less commonly in mountains; reported up to 600 m elevation (3 Stattersfield, A. J., M. J. Crosby, A. J. Long, and D. C. Wege (1998). Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series 7. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. Close ).

Resident (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Little information. Generalist predator; takes insects, especially beetles; also spiders, mice, lizards and tree frogs. Pellets collected near roosting bird in Nov 2005 contained remains of a black rat (Rattus rattus) and a Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger), the latter being the first record of avian prey (4 Graves, G.R. (2007). Prey remains of the Jamaican Owl (Pseudoscops grammicus). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology. 20: 53-55. Close ). Nocturnal.

High, quivering hoot and guttural growl . Juvenile begging call  similar to that of juvenile Asio otus.

Poorly known. Nesting reported from Mar–Oct, and laying from Dec–Jun (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Nest in cavity of large tree, or in tree fork concealed by vegetation; clutch size 2 eggs; no other information (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Restricted-range species: present in Jamaica EBA (3 Stattersfield, A. J., M. J. Crosby, A. J. Long, and D. C. Wege (1998). Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series 7. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. Close ). Considered common and widespread in Jamaica; ecology, however, remains little known and population status therefore difficult to assess; no information on global population size. Extensive cutting of forest has probably reduced its range and numbers; advisable to monitor status while island’s forest areas continue to be destroyed.