Strix (bird)

The genus Strix was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. The type species is the tawny owl. The genus name is a Latin word meaning "owl". Some Neotropical species were formerly classified in a separate genus, Ciccaba, which was eventually merged based on the placement of its type species, Strix huhula. ==Species==

The genus contains 22 species: • Spotted wood owl, S. seloputo • Mottled wood owl, S. ocellata • Brown wood owl, S. leptogrammica • Tawny owl, S. aluco • Maghreb owl, S. mauritanica • Himalayan owl, S. nivicolum • Desert owl, S. hadorami • Omani owl, S. butleri • Spotted owl, S. occidentalis • Barred owl, S. varia • Cinereous owl, S. sartorii • Fulvous owl, S. fulvescens • Rusty-barred owl, S. hylophila • Chaco owl, S. chacoensis • Rufous-legged owl, S. rufipes • Ural owl, S. uralensis • Great grey owl, S. nebulosa • African wood owl, S. woodfordii • Mottled owl, S. virgata • Black-and-white owl, S. nigrolineata • Black-banded owl, S. huhula • Rufous-banded owl, S. albitarsis Fossil species The genus Strix is well represented in the fossil record. It may well belong into the present genus, but this requires confirmation. It is sometimes considered a junior synonym of a brown fish-owl paleosubspecies. 'Extinct forms formerly in Strix:' • "Strix" antiqua – now in Prosybris • "Strix" brea - now Oraristrix brea • "Strix" brevis – now in Intutula • "Strix" collongensis – now in Alasio • "Strix" melitensis and "Strix" sanctialbani – now in Tyto • "Strix" murivora – male of the Rodrigues scops owl • "Strix" newtoni and "Strix" sauzieri – male and female of the Mauritius scops owl ==References==