Biology
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This nocturnal bird emerges at dusk from its roosting site amongst creepers to hunt from open perches (2) (3). The maned owl's diet is not well known, but insects such as grasshoppers and beetles may be the most important prey items, although green vegetable matter has been found in the stomach of a young owl. The small weak feet and bill suggest that the maned owl is incapable of capturing larger vertebrate prey (3), as many other owls do.
Like the diet, information regarding reproduction in the maned owl is also scant. Observations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo suggest that it lays three or four eggs between March and May, in a tree cavity or an old stick nest (2) (3). Fledglings have been seen in late December and January in Cameroon and Gabon, and a pair of maned owls with full-grown young were recorded in Liberia in the third week of February (3).
Conservation
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Further research on this little known species is clearly required. Gathering information on its exact range, population sizes, and dependency on forests would help determine its status and inform conservation actions if necessary (2) (5).
Description
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This highly distinctive owl gets its name from the long, bushy ear-tufts that give it a maned look (2). These brown-and-white tufts merge with the prominent whitish 'eyebrows' on the forehead, which contrast with the facial disc, characteristic of owls, that is reddish and edged in brown. The maned owl is a medium-sized owl, with chestnut-brown to rufous upperparts, patterned with variable marks and barring (2) (3). The underparts are light rufous on the breast, fading to buff or whitish on the belly, with dusky brown streaks. The eyes of the maned owl are rich yellow, and the bill and legs are pale yellow. Male and female maned owls vary only slightly in appearance, with females generally being darker and more heavily patterned (3).
Habitat
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The maned owl inhabits lowland rainforest, especially in areas with abundant creepers, close to rivers and lakes. It has never been recorded outside forests or forest clearings and so appears to be very dependent on this habitat (2) (3).
Range
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Occurs in Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, south Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, north Gabon, Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1) (3).
Status
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Classified as Data Deficient (DD) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1), and listed on Appendix II of CITES (4).
Threats
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The scarcity of information on the maned owl's biology, in combination with its secretive and nocturnal habits, make it difficult to assess how threatened this species may be (3), hence why the IUCN have classified it as Data Deficient (1). It is reported to be scarce in Ghana and rare in Liberia, although this may be due to it being overlooked, and there are also only a few records of its occurrence in Cameroon. Its dependency on forest habitat likely places it at risk from habitat loss as a result of timber harvesting (3) (5).
Maned owl
provided by wikipedia EN
The maned owl (Jubula lettii) or the Akun scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to Africa. It is the only species in genus Jubula.[3]
Description
The maned owl gets its name from the long, floppy, white-tipped feathers on its crown and ear tufts which seem to form a mane. Otherwise it is a medium-sized, large-headed, rufous owl. The upperparts are deep chestnut with narrow, wavy dark bars, which are darker on the lesser wing coverts and on the head, so that they contrast with the white forehead and tips to the ear-tufts. The facial disk is rufous with a broad blackish rim and a white throat. The upper breast is rufous with white bars, the lower breast and belly are buff with dark streaks while the vent and legs are pale buff. The flight feathers and the tail have broad dark bars on a rufous background. The bill is yellow, the cere greenish-yellow and the eyes, legs and feet are yellow. The body length is 25 cm (9.8 in).[4]
Distribution and habitat
The maned owl is known only from the lowland, tropical rainforest of west Africa and has a patchy distribution from Liberia in the west through to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The patchiness of its distribution is shown by the countries it has been recorded in which are Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.[4][1]
The maned owl seems to prefer closed canopy evergreen rainforest, especially areas with dense creepers, it is not found in semi-evergreen open-canopy forest, and there are no records away from dense forest or forest clearings.[1]
Behaviour
The maned owl is not well known. It is nocturnal, roosting by day in dense creepers as close to the ground as 2 m (6.6 ft), emerging out onto an open perch at dusk.[4] Their diet is not well understood, but small and weak feet and claws suggest that insects such as grasshoppers and beetles form the largest part of its diet. Green plant material has been found in the stomach contents of a young owl.
As with its diet little is known of its breeding behaviour and the call is unrecorded. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo a nest was observed and the results suggest that this species lays three or four eggs between March and May. The nest is in a tree cavity or an old stick nest of another animal is reused.[5] Juveniles have been recorded in late December and January in Cameroon and Gabon, and a pair of adults with full-grown young were observed in Liberia in late February.[6]
References
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Maned owl: Brief Summary
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The maned owl (Jubula lettii) or the Akun scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to Africa. It is the only species in genus Jubula.
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- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
