# Asio

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Genus of birds

For other uses, see [Asio (disambiguation)](/source/Asio_(disambiguation)).

Asio Temporal range: Late Pliocene to present Long-eared owl Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Genus: Asio Brisson, 1760 Type species Strix otus Linnaeus, 1758 Species A, grammicus (some place in Pseudoscops) A. clamator (some place in Pseudoscops or Rhinoptynx) A. otus A. abyssinicus A. madagascariensis A. stygius A. flammeus A. capensis A. solomonensis

***Asio*** is a genus of [typical owls](/source/Typical_owls), or true owls, in the family [Strigidae](/source/Strigidae). This group has representatives over most of the planet, and the [short-eared owl](/source/Short-eared_owl) is one of the most widespread of all bird species, breeding in [Europe](/source/Europe), [Asia](/source/Asia), [North](/source/North_America) and [South America](/source/South_America), the [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean), [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii) and the [Galápagos Islands](/source/Gal%C3%A1pagos_Islands). Its geographic range extends to all continents except [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica) and [Australia](/source/Australia).

These are medium-sized owls, 30–46 cm (12–18 in) in length with 80–103 cm (31–41 in) wingspans. They are long-winged and have the characteristic facial disc. The two northern species are partially [migratory](/source/Bird_migration), moving south in winter from the northern parts of their range, or wandering nomadically in poor [vole](/source/Vole) years in search of better food supplies. Tropical *Asio* owls are largely sedentary. These owls hunt over open fields or grasslands, taking mainly [rodents](/source/Rodent), other small [mammals](/source/Mammal) and some [birds](/source/Bird).

*Asio* owls are mainly [nocturnal](/source/Nocturnal), but short-eared owls are also [crepuscular](/source/Crepuscular). Most species nest on the ground, but the long-eared owl (*[Asio otus](/source/Asio_otus)*) [nests](/source/Bird_nest) in the old stick nests of [crows](/source/Crow), [ravens](/source/Raven) and [magpies](/source/Magpie) (family [Corvidae](/source/Corvidae)) and various [hawks](/source/Hawk).

## Taxonomy

The [genus](/source/Genus) *Asio* was introduced by the French zoologist [Mathurin Jacques Brisson](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson) in 1760 with the [long-eared owl](/source/Long-eared_owl) (*Asio otus*) as the [type species](/source/Type_species).[1][2] The genus name is from *asiō*, the [Latin](/source/Latin) name used by [Pliny the Younger](/source/Pliny_the_Younger) for a type of horned owl,[3] the feather tufts on the head of these owls give the appearance of "ears" which is a defining characteristic.[4]

## Species

The genus contains the following nine species:[5]

Genus Asio – Brisson, 1760 – nine species Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population Jamaican owl Asio grammicus (Gosse, 1847) Jamaica Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Striped owl Asio clamator (Vieillot, 1808) South America and parts of Central America. Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Long-eared owl Asio otus (Linnaeus, 1758) Four subspecies A. o. otus (Linnaeus, 1758) A. o. canariensis (Madarász, 1901) A. o. wilsonianus (Lesson, 1830) A. o. tuftsi Godfrey, 1948 Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Abyssinian owl Asio abyssinicus (Guérin-Méneville, 1843) Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Madagascar owl Asio madagascariensis (A. Smith, 1834) Madagascar Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Stygian owl Asio stygius (Wagler, 1832) Six subspecies A. s. lambi Moore, RT (1937) A. s. robustus Kelso, L (1934) A. s. siguapa d'Orbigny (1839) A. s. noctipetens Riley (1916) A. s. stygius Wagler (1832) A. s. barberoi Bertoni, AW (1930) Mexico, parts of Central America, Cuba, Hispaniola, and 10 countries in South America. Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Short-eared owl Asio flammeus (Pontoppidan, 1763) Eleven subspecies A. f. flammeus – (Pontoppidan, 1763) A. f. cubensis – Garrido, 2007 A. f. domingensis – (Statius Müller, 1776) A. f. portoricensis – Ridgway, 1882 A. f. bogotensis – Chapman, 1915 A. f. galapagoensis – (Gould, 1837) A. f. pallidicaudus – Friedmann, 1949 A. f. suinda – (Vieillot, 1817) A. f. sanfordi – Bangs, 1919 A. f. sandwichensis – (A. Bloxam, 1827) A. f. ponapensis – Mayr, 1933 all continents except Antarctica and Australia Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Marsh owl Asio capensis (Smith, 1834) southern Africa Size: Habitat: Diet: LC Fearful owl Asio solomonensis (Hartert, 1901) Solomon Islands archipelago Size: Habitat: Diet: VU

Three [fossil](/source/Fossil) species are recognized:

- † *Asio brevipes* (Glenns Ferry Late Pliocene of Hagerman, USA)

- † *Asio priscus* (Late Pleistocene of San Miguel Island and Santa Rosa Island, USA)[6]

- † *[Asio ecuadoriensis](/source/Asio_ecuadoriensis)* (Late Pleistocene of Ecuador)[7][8]

The supposed Late Eocene/Early Oligocene eared owl *"Asio" henrici* has been recognized as a member of the fossil [barn-owl](/source/Barn-owl) genus *Selenornis*. *"Asio" pygmaeus* (often misspelt *pigmaeus*) cannot be assigned to a genus without restudy of the material. *"Asio" collongensis* (Middle Miocene of Vieux-Collonges, France) is now placed in the genus *Alasio*.[9]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Brisson, Mathurin Jacques](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson) (1760). [*Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés*](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36010426) (in French and Latin). Vol. 1. Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. p. 28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Peters, James Lee](/source/James_L._Peters), ed. (1940). [*Check-list of Birds of the World*](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14476638). Vol. 4. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 167.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Definition - Numen - The Latin Lexicon - An Online Latin Dictionary - A Dictionary of the Latin Language"](https://latinlexicon.org/definition.php?p1=2004858&p2=a). *latinlexicon.org*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-job_4-0)** Jobling, James A (2010). [*The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names*](https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling). London: Christopher Helm. p. [57](https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n57). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4081-2501-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4081-2501-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ioc_5-0)** [Gill, Frank](/source/Frank_Gill_(ornithologist)); Donsker, David; [Rasmussen, Pamela](/source/Pamela_Rasmussen), eds. (January 2021). ["Owls"](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/owls/). *IOC World Bird List Version 11.1*. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Collins, P. W., D. A. Guthrie, E. L. Whistler, R. L. Vellanoweth, and J. M. Erlandson. 2018. Terminal Pleistocene–Holocene avifauna of San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands: identifications of previously unidentified avian remains recovered from fossil sites and prehistoric cave deposits. Western North American Naturalist 78(3):370–404.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Enrico de Lazaro: [Giant Predatory Owls Once Lived in Ecuador](http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/asio-ecuadoriensis-08664.html); on: sci-news; July 22, 2020

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LoCoco2020_8-0)** Lo Coco, G.E., Agnolín, F.L. & Román Carrión, J.L.: [Late Pleistocene owls (Aves, Strigiformes) from Ecuador, with the description of a new species](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-020-01756-x#citeas); In: J Ornithol 161, pp 713–721; March 5, 2020; [doi:10.1007/s10336-020-01756-x](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-020-01756-x)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Mlíkovský, Jirí (2002): *[Cenozoic Birds of the World, Part 1: Europe](http://www.nm.cz/download/JML-18-2002-CBE.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110520101755/http://www.nm.cz/download/JML-18-2002-CBE.pdf) 2011-05-20 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)*. Ninox Press, Prague.

v t e Genera of owls and their extinct allies Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Neoaves Clade: Passerea Clade: Telluraves Basal Telluraves Telluraves †Lamillavis? †Zealandornithidae Zealandornis Australaves Cariamiformes See Cariamiformes Eufalconimorphae Falconiformes See Falconiformes Psittacopasseres See Psittacopasseres Afroaves †Lutavis? Hieraves Accipitrimorphae See Accipitrimorphae Strigiformes See below ↓ Coraciimorphae Coliiformes See Coliiformes Cavitaves See Cavitaves Strigiformes incertae sedis †Ypresiglaux †Heterostrigidae Heterostrix †Ogygoptyngidae Ogygoptynx †Palaeoglaucidae Palaeoglaux †Protostrigidae "Aurorornis" Eostrix Minerva Oligostrix Primoptynx? †Sophiornithidae Berruornis? Enskenia Palaeobyas? Palaeotyto? Sophiornis Strigidae Aegolius †Alasio Asio †Asphaltoglaux Athene Bubo Glaucidium †Grallistrix Gymnasio Gymnoglaux †Intulula Jubula Ketupa Lophostrix Margarobyas Megascops Micrathene †Mioglaux †Miosurnia Ninox †Oraristrix †Ornimegalonyx Otus Pseudoscops Psiloscops Ptilopsis Pulsatrix Scotopelia Strix Surnia Taenioptynx Uroglaux Xenoglaux †Yarquen Tytonidae †Miotyto †Necrobyas †Nocturnavis Phodilus †Prosybris †Selenornis Tyto

Taxon identifiers Asio Wikidata: Q648422 Wikispecies: Asio ADW: Asio BOLD: 4888 CoL: 33VY EPPO: 1ASIOG Fauna Europaea: 97050 Fauna Europaea (new): 6d92ff7a-6bde-4c5a-a998-9af2866b9dca GBIF: 8373955 iNaturalist: 20306 IRMNG: 1194241 ITIS: 177931 NBN: NHMSYS0000530179 NCBI: 56266 Open Tree of Life: 509845 Paleobiology Database: 161528 WoRMS: 205869

Authority control databases National Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Asio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asio) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asio?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.