Spectacled Owl

Pulsatrix perspicillata

eBird describes the Spectacled Owl like this:  Uncommon but unmistakable. Very large spectacular owl of humid evergreen forest in tropical lowlands and foothills. Often roosts at low to middle levels, usually well hidden in shady spots, and flushes easily. At night, favors open forest canopy and forest edge, but calling birds can be well hidden in foliage. Song is a resonant, pulsating series of deep hoots, sounding rather like a sheet of metal being flexed quickly; an uncommon variant call of the Mottled Owl sounds rather similar.

The Birds of the World site provides this introductory information about the Spectacled Owl:  The Spectacled Owl is common resident in many kinds of lowland tropical forest such as rainforest, savanna woodland and dry forest. It occurs throughout the tropical regions of South America from northern Argentina to southern Mexico. Due to its reclusive and nocturnal habits it is seldom seen, but its distinctive pulsating vocalizations are a common aspect of the nocturnal chorus in Neotropical lowland forest. It is polytypic with six subspecies recognized, differentiated on the basis of variations in underparts coloration and patterning. There is also subtle subspecific variation in voice. It forages nocturnally, feeding primarily on vertebrates up to the size of opossums, rabbits, and skunks. It is distinctive throughout most of its range, but appears very similar to the Tawny-browed Owl (Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana) of southeast Brazil and Paraguay, from which it differs in voice and in the coloration of their facial spectacles. When heard, it may be confused with it congener, the Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota), which inhabits lower elevations in the Andes.

I saw a pair of Spectacled Owls on the morning of Sunday, February 5, 2023, with a Tropical Birding Tour group.  We were in dense tropical rain forest habitat near Donde Copé, when Copé put us on to this beautiful pair of birds. It was quite exciting, since just a few minutes earlier we had the opportunity to watch a pair of Crested Owls.  To read my blog post about the trip that includes seeing these birds, look here.  Below are some of the photos I took that day.  I am disappointed in the quality of my photos…they simply don’t do these beautiful birds justice!