Koepcke's Screech Owl
The Andenkreischeule or Koepcke Screech-Owl ( Megascops koepckeae ) is a species of the family of authentics owls. It is found only in South America. It was named in honor of the ornithologist Maria Koepcke that she first observed in the Cordilleras and she held initially for a subspecies of Peru Screech. After the death of Maria Koepcke in a plane crash the species was first described by the ornithologist Gerrit Paul Hekstra as a race of Choliba Screech Owl, which at that time was still assigned to the genus of scops owls. Meanwhile, the taxonomic classification has been revised and the Andenkreischeule is considered a separate species within the genus of the screech owls.
Appearance
With a height of about 24 centimeters, the Koepcke Screech Owl is a medium-sized genus within their kind She has short, but noticeable ear tufts. The plumage is relatively dark. The body bottom exhibits a distinct longitudinal stripes. The eyes are yellow.
Within its range the Andenkreischeule be confused especially with the Peru Screech Owl, which also has yellow eyes, but is smaller. The Tumbes Screech is much smaller and the White-throated Screech are strikingly larger and has no ear tufts.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of Andenkreischeule is not contiguous. It is distributed in the Andes from north-west to the south-west of Peru, occurs south of Lima, as well as in a mountain area in Südlima. It is not yet known whether it is the screech owl to a stand or are migratory. Their habitat is dry woodlands of the Andean slopes. Your altitudinal distribution ranges from 2,000 meters above sea level to over 2,500 meters above sea level. The distribution of Koepcke Screech overlaps to a large extent with that of the Peru - Sperlingkauzes.
Way of life
The Andenkreischeule is a nocturnal owl, which meets in trees or shrubs with dense foliage. Your food spectrum probably consists mainly of insects. As evidence for this assumption, among others, the relatively small claws apply. About the reproductive biology is not known.
Subspecies
According to the IOC World Bird List 3.3. are currently two subspecies:
- M. k koepckeae ( Hekstra, 1982) nominate form occurs in northwestern Peru.
- M. k hockingi Fjeldså, Baiker, Engblom, Franke, Geale, Crab Lane, Lezama, Schmitt, Williams, Ugarte - Nunez, Yabar, V. & Yabar, R., 2012 at the central Peru present.