By Cecilia Patino
Geographic Range
Pulsatrix perspicillata can be found from Southern Mexico through Argentina. It can also be found on Carribean islands such as Trinidad. (Burton et al., 1984; Owl Pages, Date Unknown)
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Habitat
(5248 ft)
Spectacled owls live near water in rainforest and woodlands. They can be found from sea level to elevations of 1600 m. (Burton et al., 1984; Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002)
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest ; rainforest .
Other:
riparian .
Physical Description
(15.95 to 31.89 oz; avg. 23.92 oz)
(16.93 to 18.11 in)
(2.49 to 2.98 ft)
Spectacled owls are characterized by white "spectacles" around their bright yellow eyes. They have dark brown plumage on their upper parts and off-white or light yellow plumage on their breast. They have a thin white stripe around the throat with a thick dark brown stripe below. Coloration is reversed in juveniles; they are mostly white with a brown/black facial disk.
Spectacled owls are 43 to 46 cm long, males weigh 453 to 680 g and females weigh 680 to 906 g. Their wingpans are from 0.762 to 0.914 m. (Burton et al., 1984; Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002; Sedgwick County Zoo, 2001)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: female larger.
Reproduction
Breeding occurs in the dry season or the beginning of the wet season.
Spectacled owls are monogamous.
Mating systems:
monogamous .
Breeding occurs in the dry season or the beginning of the wet season (April to June or September to October depending on location). They build their nests inside tree cavities. Females lay a maximum of two eggs and often only one chick will survive. Young fledge after 5 to 6 weeks; they are often dependent on their parents for up to a year. Spectacled owls reach maturity in 3 to 5 years. (Austin, 1971; Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; oviparous .
Both the male and female assist in raising young, but most of the responsiblity rests on the female. They each take turns sitting on the eggs while the other goes out to hunt. The chicks leave the nest before they can fly and often remain with their parents for a year after fledging. (Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002)
Parental investment:
no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization; pre-hatching/birth (protecting: male, female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning); pre-independence (provisioning).
Lifespan/Longevity
With very few predators, this species can live up to 35 years in the wild. They are known to live for 25 to 30 years in captivity.
Behavior
Spectacled owls are typically nocturnal, but have been known to hunt during the day on some occasions. They are not known to be migratory. (Owling.com, 2002)
Home Range
We do not have information on home range for this species at this time.
Communication and Perception
Males have a distinct call that sounds like a hammer hitting a hollow tree repeatedly; the sound descends in volume. Females have a loud screeching call used mostly to attract males during the mating season. (Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002)
Communicates with:
acoustic .
Food Habits
Spectacled owls are very fast, and once they spot their prey they will swoop down, snatch up the prey, and return to their perch. They will also glean insects from vegetation. They are carnivorous and mostly eat mice and insects. They are also known to eat crabs, bats, possums, skunks, frogs and smaller birds no larger than a blue jay. They usually hunt at night, but will occasionally hunt during the day. (Owl Pages, Date Unknown; Owling.com, 2002; Sedgwick County Zoo, 2001)
Primary Diet:
carnivore (eats terrestrial vertebrates, insectivore ).
Animal Foods:
birds; mammals; amphibians; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods.
Predation
- other birds (Aves)
Because spectacled owls hide in foliage that hangs low, they are not easily detected by predators. They are sometimes preyed upon by larger birds (class Aves).
Ecosystem Roles
Spectacled owls are important members of their ecosystem; because of their food habits they likely have a regulatory influence on insect and mammal populations, and they are an important food source for their predators.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse affects of spectacled owls on humans.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Spectacled owls help eliminate pests species, such as insects and mice that can destroy crops.
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
controls pest population.
Conservation Status
Spectacled owls are listed under Appendix II by CITES but have not been evlauated by the IUCN. They could become severely threatened if rainforests and other forested areas in South America continue to be cut down for agriculture and lumber industries.
There have already been efforts to conserve spectacled owls. Many are bred in captivity and released in the wild, while others are kept in zoos and conservatories.
For More Information
Find Pulsatrix perspicillata information at
Contributors
Cecilia Patino (author), University of Michigan.
Kerry Yurewicz (editor), University of Michigan. Alaine Camfield (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
