Itombwe owl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Itombwe owl |
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Phodilus prigoginei Schouteden, 1952 |
The Itombwe owl (Tyto prigoginei) is a special type of owl. It belongs to the barn owl family, called Tytonidae. This owl lives only in a small area of forests in Central Africa.
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About the Itombwe Owl's Name
The Itombwe owl was first described in 1952. A Belgian scientist named Henri Schouteden gave it its first scientific name. He called it Phodilus prigoginei. It was placed in the same group as two Asian bay owls. People sometimes called it the Congo bay owl or African bay owl.
The owl was named after Alexandre Prigogine. He was a mineralogist and bird expert. He was the first person to show this owl to Schouteden.
This owl is not very well known. For a while, some thought it might be a type of Oriental bay owl. But now, scientists think they are not closely related.
Scientists are still studying where this owl truly belongs. It was first put in the Phodilus group. But it might fit better in the Tyto group, like other barn owls. It could even be in its own unique group. In 2023, the International Ornithological Congress decided to place it in the Tyto group. They made this decision because of how it looks, which is similar to other Tyto owls.
What Does the Itombwe Owl Look Like?
The Itombwe owl is a small bird. Its upper parts are a rich chestnut brown color. It has black and white spots on its head and the back of its neck. The feathers on its belly are a reddish cream color.
So far, only adult female owls have been found. This means we don't know what the males or young owls look like yet.
Like other owls in the Phodilus group, it is smaller than typical barn owls. It has a face that looks like a "U" shape. This is called a facial disk. Its ear-like feather tufts are very hard to see. Its face is heart-shaped, much like the western barn owl.
Where Do Itombwe Owls Live?
The first Itombwe owl ever studied was found in 1951. It was collected in a place called Muusi. This area is in the Itombwe Mountains in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It was found at a high elevation, about 2,430 meters (8,000 feet) up.
For many years, no other Itombwe owls were confirmed. Then, in 1996, another one was caught. This happened in a special net in the southeastern Itombwe Mountains. This spot was about 95 kilometers (59 miles) south of the first finding. It was also about 600 meters (2,000 feet) lower in elevation.
There was also a possible sighting in Burundi in 1974. Another recording was made in Rwanda.
Both of the captured owls were found in similar places. Their habitat was a montane forest. This type of forest has areas of grassland mixed in. It also has stands of bamboo plants.
Protecting the Itombwe Owl
We know very little about the Itombwe owl's life. We don't know how many there are. We also don't know exactly where all of them live. Because of this, it's hard to start protecting them. More research is needed first.
The owl's home is being threatened. People are clearing the forests for small farms. Logging, mining, and wildfires also destroy their habitat.
There is a plan to make the Itombwe Forest a community reserve. This would help protect the area. However, the exact borders of this reserve still need to be decided.
