Taxonomic ordering of the Order Strigiformes as follows:

Order Strigiformes
Suborder Striginae
Parvorder Tytonida
Family Tytonidae
Subfamily Necrobyinae (Necrobyas, Nocturnavis)
Subfamily Selenornithinae (Selenornis)
Subfamily Tytoninae (Prosybris, Tyto)
Parvorder Strigida
Family Palaeoglaucidae (Palaeoglaux)
Family Sophiornithidae (Berruornis, Palaeobyas, Sophiornis, Palaeotyto)
Family Protostrigidae (Minerva, Eostrix, Oligostrix)
Family Ogygoptyngidae (Ogygoptynx)
Family Strigidae (the fossil genera Alasio, Intulula, Mioglaux, Grallistrix, Ornimegalonyx, Mascarenotus; plus Modern Strigidae genera: Otus, Bubo, Strix, Pulsatrix, Surnia, Glaucidium, Athene, Aegolius, and Asio).

List of Tables

Table 1. List of fossil owls with valid taxa in Tytonidae and Strigidae as of 15 October 2007.

Table 2. Bird fossils that have not been fully verified (or cannot be fully verified), and currently remain Incertae Sedis (of uncertain taxonomic position).

Table 3. Fossils of species that were initially placed in Strigiformes, but have since been transferred to other groups.

Table 4. Owl taxa that are Nomen Nudum (classification yet unsupported).

Interesting fossil owl literature not mentioned before.

Table 1. List of fossil owls with valid taxa in Tytonidae and Strigidae as of 15 October 2007.

Parvordo TYTONIDA

 

 

Familia Tytonidae

 

Familia Tytonidae Ridgway, 1914 .
Ridgway, Robert. 1914. Bulletin of the U.S. National Museum, No.50, Birds of North and Middle America, Part 6, p.598-600.

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Subfamilia Necrobyinae

Subfamilia Necrobyinae. Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie et Paléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

Remarks: While Cécile Mourer-Chauviré did not describe the subfamily Necrobyinae in the text of her 1987 paper, in Figure 8 (the phylogenetic tree) on page 125, the Tytonidae are split into the subfamilies Palaeoglaucinae, Seleornithinae, Necrobyinae, Phodilinae and Tytoninae.
In Mourer-Chauviré 1994 (A large Owl from the Palaeocene of France. Palaeontology 37:339-348) she writes on page 346 under conclusions: "This diversivication continued during the Eocene, where four families are known, three extinct, namely the Protostrigidae, the Sophiornithidae and the Palaeoglaucidae, and the Recent family Tytonidae, which is represented in the Phosphorites du Quercy deposits by two extinct subfamlilies, the Necrobyinae, and the Selenornithinae.”
In 1985, Storrs Olson noted: “The Protostrigidae are themselves very diverse and could belong to two distinct families.” (S.L. Olson 1985. The fossil record of birds. In: Avian Biology. Vol. 8. Ed. by D.S. Farner, J.R. King and K.C. Parkes. Academic Press, New York).

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Genus Necrobyas

Genus Necrobyas Milne-Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.

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Synonym: Paratyto Brodkorb, 1970.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1970. Two Fossil Owls from the Aquitanian of France. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 32: 159-160.
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Placed in Necrobyas by Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie et Paléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.
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Necrobyas harpax

Species: Necrobyas harpax Milne-Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.

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The typespecies of Necrobyas Milne-Edwards, 1892 was designated by Richmond in 1902.
Richmond, C.W. 1902. List of generic terms proposed for birds during the years 1890-1900 inclusive, to which are added names omitted by Waterhouse in his "Index Generum Avium". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 24: 663-729.
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Synonym: Necrobyas Rossignoli Milne Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.
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Synonymy by Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Necrobyas arvernensis

 

Species - New and present combination: Necrobyas arvernensis (Milne-Edwards, 1863).
Original name and description: Bubo arvernensis Milne-Edwards, 1863.
Milne Edwards, Alphonse. 1863. Sur la Distribution Géologique des Oiseaux Fossiles et Description de Quelques Espèces Nouvelles. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences ( Paris) 56: 1219-1222.

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Placed in Necrobyas by Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.		 pdf
New combination: Paratyto arvernensis (Milne-Edwards, 1863) by Brodkorb, 1970.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1970. Two Fossil Owls from the Aquitanian of France. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 32: 159-160.		 pdf
Synonym: Necrobyas Edwardsi Gaillard, 1939.
Gaillard, Claude. 1939. Contribution à l'Étude des Oiseaux Fossiles. Archives du Museum d’Histoire Naturelle de Lyon 15: 1-100.		 pdf
Synonymy by Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Genus Nocturnavis

Genus Nocturnavis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Nocturnavis incerta(1)

Species - New and present combination: Nocturnavis incerta (Milne-Edwards, 1892).
Original name and description: Bubo incertus Milne-Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.

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Placed in Nocturnavis by Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.		 pdf

Subfamilia Selenornithinae

Subfamilia Selenornithinae Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Genus Selenornis

Genus Selenornis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Selenornis henrici

 

Species - New and present combination: Selenornis henrici (Milne-Edwards, 1892). Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Original name and description: Otus henrici Milne-Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.

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New combination: Asio henrici (Milne-Edwards, 1892): Gaillard, 1908.
Gaillard, Claude. 1908. Les Oiseaux des Phosphorites du Quercy. Annales de l’Université de Lyon, nouvelle série 1, fascicule 23: 1-178.		 pdf
New combination: Selenornis henrici by Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.		 pdf
Subfamilia Tytoninae Subfamilia Tytonidae Ridgway, 1914. [modern subfamily.]
Ridgway, Robert. 1914. Bulletin of the U.S. National Museum, No.50, Birds of North and Middle America, Part 6, p.598-600.		 pdf

Genus Prosybris

Genus Prosybris Brodkorb, 1970.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1970. Two Fossil Owls from the Aquitanian of France. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 32: 159-160.

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Prosybris media

 

Species - new and present combination: Prosybris media (Mourer-Chauviré, 1987).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Placed in Prosybris by Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf
Prosybris media is based on a part of Otus [Asio] henrici Milne-Edwards, 1892.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse.1892. Sur les Oiseaux Fossiles des Dêpots Éocènes de Phosphate de Chaux du Sud de la France. C.R. second Congr. ornithol. intern. Budapest, p. 60-80.		 pdf
Synonym: Necrobyas medius Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.		 pdf

Prosybris antique

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species, new and present combination: Prosybris antiqua (Milne-Edwards, 1869). 
Original name and description: Strix antiqua Milne-Edwards, 1869. Alphonse Milne-Edwards, 1867-1869. Recherches Anatomiques et Paléontologiques pour Servir à l’Histoire des Oiseaux Fossiles de la France, Tome Premier. Paris, Victor Masson et Fils pages 1-475; Atlas Tome premier Planches 1-95; Atlas Tome second Planches 1-200 Paris, Victor Masson et Fils.

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Placed in Prosybris as the typespecies by Brodkorb, 1970.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1970. Two Fossil Owls from the Aquitanian of France. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 32: 159-160.		 pdf
Synonym: Necrobyas minimus Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.		 pdf
Synonymy by Jirí Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Genus Tyto

Genus Tyto Billberg, 1828 .
Billberg, G.J. 1828, Synopsis Faunae Scaniviae, 1, pt.2 (AVES), tab.A (Conspectus Classis AVIUM universalis, secundum), page 2.

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Tyto sanctialbani

Species: Tyto sanctialbani (Lydekker, 1893).
Original name and description: Strix sancti-albani Lydekker, 1893.
Lydekker, R. 1893. On some bird-bones from the Miocene of Grive-St-Alban, Department of Isere, France. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1893: 517-522.

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Placed in Tyto by Ballmann, 1969. [Tyto sanctialbani Ballmann 1969]
Ballmann, Peter. 1969: Les Oiseaux Miocènes de la Grive-Saint-Alban (Isère). Geobios 2: 157-204 (pg. 191).		 pdf
Synonym: Tyto campiterrae Jánossy, 1991.
Jánossy, Dénes. 1991. Late Miocene Bird Remains from Polgárdi (W-Hungary). Aquila 98: 13-35.		 pdf
Synonymy by Jirí Mlíkovský, 1998
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Tyto balearica

Species: Tyto balearica Mourer-Chauviré, Alcover, Moyà & Pons, 1980.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile, Josep Antoni Alcover, Salvador Moya & Juan Pons. 1980. Une Nouvelle Forme Insulaire d’Effraie Géante, Tyto balearica N. Sp., (Aves, Strigiformes), Du Plio-Pléistocène des Baléares. Geobios 13: 803-811.

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Tyto balearica cyrneichnusae

Subspecies: Tyto balearica cyrneichnusae Louchart, 2002.
Louchart, Antoine. 2002. Les Oiseaux du Pléistocène de Corse et de Quelques Localités Sardes. Écologie, Évolution, Biogéographie et Extinctions.Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de Lyon 155: 1-287.

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Tyto robusta

Species: Tyto robusta Ballmann, 1973.
Ballmann, Peter. 1973. Fossile Vögel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italien). Scripta Geologica 17: 1-75.

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Remarks: Tyto robusta was placed in synonymy with Tyto gigantea by Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.

This synonymy was reversed (undone) by Pavia & Göhlich, 2005.
Marco Pavia & Ursula Göhlich, 2005. Revision of the Fossil Bird Association of the Neogene of the Gargano (Apulia, SE Italy). Abstracts of Sixth International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution: 52.
Abstract as follows:
REVISION OF THE FOSSIL BIRD ASSOCIATION OF THE NEOGENE OF THE GARGANO (APULIA, SE ITALY)
Marco Pavia1 & Ursula B. Göhlich2
1 – Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia delle Scienze 5, 10123 Torino, Italy ( [email protected] ).
2 Université Claude Bernard - Lyon 1, UMR P.E.P.S., Bâtiment Géode, 2 rue Dubois, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France. ([email protected]).
The Gargano area (Apulia, SE Italy) has been known for a long time for its vertebrate assemblages found in fissure fillings in the numerous limestone quarries of the Apricena area, on the West edge of the Gargano promontory. The vertebrate assemblage, particularly the mammals, are well studied (Abbazzi et al., 1996, Revision of the Neogene and Pleistocene of the Gargano region (Apulia, Italy). The marine and continental successions and the mammal fauna assemblages occur in an area between Apricena and Poggio Imperiale (Foggia). Mem. Soc. Geologica It., 51: 383-402) and they can be separated in two different associations, one of the Neogene (MN 13-15) (Freudenthal, 1971, Neogene vertebrate from the Gargano Peninsula, Italy. Scripta Geologica, 14: 1-10) and the other one of the Early Pleistocene (De Giuli, Masini, Torre, 1987, The latest Villafranchian faunas in Italy: the Pirro Nord fauna. Paleontographia Italica, 74: 51-62). Fossil bird remains have been found in both associations. The present analysis deals with that found in the Neogene fissure fillings. It has already been studied by Ballmann (1973, Fossile Vogel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italien). Scripta Geologica, 17: 1-75; 1976, Fossile Vogel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italein), zweiter Teil. Scripta Geologica , 38: 1-59). Here we present the revision of the material, already presented by Ballmann, but also new and unpublished bird material. The new material comes from the collections of the Nationaal Naturhistorische Museum of Leiden (The Nederlands), the Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra of Firenze University ( Italy), the Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia of the Torino University ( Italy) and the Naturmuseum Augsburg (Germany). Following Ballmann, (1973, 1976, opp. citt.), the bird association of the Neogene of Gargano contains 16 taxa, in particular Garganoaetus freudenthali, G.murivorus, Palaeortyx grivensis, Tyto sanctialbani, T. robusta, T. gigantea, Strix?perpasta, Columba omnisanctorum, Apus wetmorei and a few other taxa not determined at specific level. These analyses of Ballmann revealed the presence of several new endemic extinct species, testifying the high degree of isolation of the Gargano area during the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene. The present analysis of the new material confirms the species described by Ballmann, but in some cases, the new material allows an amelioration of the description of their osteological characteristics, and new taxa can be added to the bird association. In particular, the present analysis reveals 12 new taxa, here presented in a preliminary way: Treskiornithidae indet., Anas cf. A. velox, a small sized Accipitridae, two species of Rallidae, Otitidae n. gen. et n. sp., two species of Charadriiformes, Athene sp., Strix n. sp., Coliidae indet. and Corvidae indet.; some of these taxa have already been found, but not determined by Ballmann. Our study also changes some of his determinations, in particular the remains formerly attributed to Palaeortyx grivensis actually represent a new species of Palaeortyx, and Tyto sanctialbani actually belongs to Tyto balearica, as previously suggested by Mlíkovský (1998, A new Barn Owl from the early Miocene of Germany, with comments on the fossil history of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie , 139: 247-261). The new material also gives the opportunity to better the osteological description of both Tyto robusta and Tyto gigantea and to confirm their taxonomic validity as separate species, and not a single one under T. gigantea, as suggested by Mlíkovský (1998, op. cit.).

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Tyto gigantea

Species: Tyto gigantea Ballmann, 1973.
Ballmann, Peter. 1973. Fossile Vögel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italien). Scripta Geologica 17: 1-75.

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Tyto alba

Species: Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769).
Scopoli, Giovanni Antonio. 1769. Annus I-(V) Historio-Naturalis (Annus I Hist. Nat.): p 21-22.

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Synonym: Strix melitensis Lydekker, 1891.
Lydekker, R. 1891. Catalogue of the Fossil Birds in the British Museum (Natural History). London, British Museum XXVII 368 pg.		 pdf
Placed in Tyto by Brodkorb, 1970.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1970. Two Fossil Owls from the Aquitanian of France. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 32: 159-160.		 pdf
Synonymy by Jirí Mlíkovský, 1998
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf
Synonym: Lechusa stirtoni Miller, 1956.
Miller, Loye H. 1956. A Collection of Bird Remains from the Pliocene of San Diego, California . Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 28(16):615-621. 		pdf
Lechusa stirtoni was placed into synonymy with Tyto alba by Chandler 1982. Chandler, R.M. 1982. A Reevaluation of the Pliocene Owl Lechusa stirtoni Miller. Auk 99:580-581. pdf

Synonym: Palaeophoyx columbiana McCoy, 1963.
McCoy, J.J. 1963. The Fossil Avifauna of Itchtucknee River, Florida. The Auk 80: 335-351.

Remarks: Palaeophoyx columbiana is a coracoïd and an ulna, the coracoïd is from Botaurus lentiginosus Rackett, 1813; the ulna is from Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769).

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Tyto jinniushanensis

Species: Tyto jinniushanensis Hou, 1993.
Hou, Lianhai. 1993. [description of Tyto jinniushanensis]. Pp 39-40 In Zhang et al, 1993. Comprehensive Study on the Jinniushan Paleolithic Site. Memoirs of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Palaeoanthropology. 19(1):1-163. [in Chinese].

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Tyto mourerchauvireae

Species: Tyto mourerchauvireae Pavia, 2004.
Pavia, Marco. 2004. A New Large Barn Owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Tytonidae) from the Middle Pleistocene of Sicily, Italy, and its Taphonomical Significance. Geobios 37: 631-641.

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Tyto ostologa

Species: Tyto ostologa Wetmore, 1922.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1922. Remains of Birds from Caves in the Republic of Haiti. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection 74 (41): 1-4.

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Tyto pollens

Species: Tyto pollens Wetmore 1937.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1937. Bird Remains from Cave Deposits on Great Exuma Island in the Bahamas. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College 80: 427-441.

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Tyto noeli

Species: Tyto noeli Arredondo, 1972.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1972. Nueva Especie de Ave Fósil (Strigiformes: Tytonidae) del Pleistoceno Superior de Cuba. Boletin de la Sociedad Venezolana Ciencias Naturales 29: 415-431.

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Tyto riveroi

Species: Tyto riveroi Arredondo, 1972.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1972. Especie Nueva de Lechuza Gigante (Strigiformes: Tytonidae) del Pleistoceno Cubano. Boletin de la Sociedad Venezolana Ciencias Naturales 30: 129-140.

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Tyto neddi

Species: Tyto neddi Steadman & Hilgartner, 1999.
Steadman, David W. & William B. Hilgartner, 1999. A New Species of Extinct Barn Owl (Aves: Tyto) from Barbuda, Lesser Antilles. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 89:75-83.

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Tyto cavatica

Species: Tyto cavatica Wetmore, 1920.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1920. Five New Species of Birds from Cave Deposits in Porto Rico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 33:77-82.

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Tyto ? letocarti

Species: Tyto ? letocarti Balouet & Olson, 1989.
Balouet, Jean Christophe & Storrs L. Olson, 1989. Fossil Birds from Late Quaternary Deposits in New Caledona. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. Number 469:1-38.

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Parvordo STRIGIDA

 

 

Familia Palaeoglaucidae

Familia Palaeoglaucidae (Mourer-Chauviré, 1987).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie et Paléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Remarks: It was described as a subfamily Palaeoglaucinae, but Peters (1992) raised it to a full family.
Peters, Dieter Stefan. 1992. A New Species of Owl (Aves: Strigiformes) from the Middle Eocene Messel Oil Shale. In Papers in Avian Paleontology Honoring Pierce Brodkorb. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science series No 36: 161-169.		 pdf

Genus Palaeoglaux

Genus Palaeoglaux Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Palaeoglaux artophoron

Species: Palaeoglaux artophoron Peters, 1992.
Peters, Dieter Stefan. 1992. A New Species of Owl (Aves: Strigiformes) from the Middle Eocene Messel Oil Shale. In Papers in Avian Paleontology Honoring Pierce Brodkorb. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science series No 36: 161-169.

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Palaeoglaux perrierensis

Species: Palaeoglaux perrierensis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987. (The typespecies of the genus).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Familia Sophiornithidae

Familia Sophiornithidae Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Genus Berruornis

Genus Berruornis Mourer-Chauviré, 1994.

Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1994. A Large Owl from the Paleocene of France. Palaeontology 37: 339-348.

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Berruornis halbedeli

Species: Berruornis halbedeli Mayr, 2007.
Mayr, Gerald. 2007. The Birds from the Paleocene fissure Filling of Walbeck (Germany). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27: 394-408.

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Remarks: In 2002 Gerald Mayr gave a detailed description of the taxon, but did not name it at that time. What is described in the 2002 paper is what is mentioned in Mayr, 2007 under the remarks for BERRUORNIS HALBEDELI, sp. nov.: WAL01.2001 was described in detail by Mayr (2002) who substantiated its assignment to Berruornis Mourer-Chauviré, 1994, an apomorphy of which is he presence of a perforation in the crista medialis hypotarsi. Assignment of Berruornis to the Strigiformes can be established with the presumably derived absence of a pons supratendineus on the distal tibiotarsus, the morphology of the hypotarsus, and the configuration of the tarsometatarsal trochleae (see Mourer-Chauviré, 1994). Its classification into the Sophiornithidae (Mourer-Chauviré, 1994), however, is largely based on overall similarity and needs to be substantiated with derived characters. As detailed by Mourer-Chauviré (1994), Berruornis and Sophiornis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987, the type genus of the Sophiornithidae, differ in numerous features, of which at least the less plantarly deflected trochleae metatarsorum II et IV may indicate a sister group relationship between Berruornis and other strigiform birds. WAL02.2001 is the “upper beak of a bird of prey” mentioned by Weigelt (1939; see introduction) and was also described by Mayr (2002). It comes from a species of similar size to Berruornis halbedeli to which it is here tentatively assigned. As detailed by Mayr (2002), the specimen differs significantly from the beak of crown group Strigiformes, with which it however shares the presence of two large oval openings inside the tip of the rostrum, at the caudal end of the praemaxillary symphysis (Fig. 1F). There are no other similar-sized birds in the Walbeck material.
Mayr, Gerald. 2002. An Owl from the Paleocene of Walbeck, Germany. Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Geowissenschaftliche Reihe 5: 281-286.		 pdf

Berruornis orbisantiqui

Species: Berruornis orbisantiqui Mourer-Chauviré, 1994. (The typespecies of the genus).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1994. A Large Owl from the Paleocene of France. Palaeontology 37: 339-348.

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Genus Palaeobyas

Genus Palaeobyas Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Palaeobyas cracrafti

Species: Palaeobyas cracrafti Mourer-Chauviré, 1987. (The typespecies of the genus).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Remarks: Jirí Mlíkovský 1998 transferred the genus from the Tytonidae to the Sophiornithidae.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998: A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Genus Sophiornis

Genus Sophiornis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987. (The typegenus of the family).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Sophiornis quercynus

Species: Sophiornis quercynus Mourer-Chauviré, 1987. (The typespecies of the genus).
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Genus Palaeotyto

Genus Palaeotyto Mourer-Chauviré, 1987.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Palaeotyto cadurcensis

Species: Palaeotyto cadurcensis Mourer-Chauviré, 1987. (The typespecies of the genus)
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1987. Les Strigiformes (Aves) des Phosphorites du Quercy (France): Systématique, Biostratigraphie etPaléobiogéographie. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon 99: 89-135.

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Remarks: Mlíkovský, 1998 transferred the genus from the Tytonidae to the Sophiornithidae.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.		 pdf

Familia Protostrigidae

Familia Protostrigidae Wetmore, 1933. (Typegenus is Protostrix Wetmore, 1933.)
Wetmore, Alexander. 1933. The Status of Minerva antiqua, Aquila ferox and Aquila lydekkeri as Fossil Birds. American Museum Novitates 680:1-4.

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Genus Minerva

Genus Minerva Shufeldt, 1915.
Shufeldt, Robert Wilson. 1915. Fossil Birds in the Marsh Collection of Yale University. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences 19: 1-110, pls. i-xv.

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Synonym: Protostrix Wetmore, 1933.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1933. The Status of Minerva antiqua, Aquila ferox and Aquila lydekkeri as Fossil Birds. American Museum Novitates 680:1-4. 		pdf

Minerva antiqua

Species: Minerva antiqua (Shufeldt, 1913).
Original name and description: Aquila antiqua Shufeldt, 1913. (typespecies of the genus).
Shufeldt, Robert Wilson. 1913. Further Studies of Fossil Birds with Descriptions of New and Extinct Species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Vol. 32(16): 285-306, plates 51-59.

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Placed in Minerva by Shufeldt, 1915.
Shufeldt, Robert Wilson. 1915. Fossil Birds in the Marsh Collection of Yale University. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences 19: 1-110, pls. i-xv.		 pdf
Placed in Protostrix by Wetmore, 1933.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1933. The Status of Minerva antiqua, Aquila ferox and Aquila lydekkeri as Fossil Birds. American Museum Novitates 680:1-4.		 pdf
Placed in Minerva by Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, 1983.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1983. Minerva antiqua (Aves: Strigiformes), an Owl Mistaken for an Edentate Mammal. American Museum Novitates 2773: 1-11.		 pdf
Synonym: Aquila ferox Shufeldt, 1913.
Shufeldt, Robert Wilson. 1913. Further Studies of Fossil Birds with Descriptions of New and Extinct Species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Vol. 32(16): 285-306, plates 51-59.		 pdf

Minerva lydekkeri

Species: Minerva lydekkeri Shufeldt, 1913.
Shufeldt, Robert Wilson. 1913. Further Studies of Fossil Birds with Descriptions of New and Extinct Species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Vol. 32(16): 285-306 plates 51-59.

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Wetmore, 1933 placed the species in Protostrix as the typespecies of this genus.
Alexander Wetmore. 1933. The Status of Minerva antiqua, Aquila ferox and Aquila lydekkeri as Fossil Birds. American Museum Novitates 680:1-4.		 pdf
Species placed in Minerva by Mourer-Chauviré, 1983.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1983. Minerva antiqua (Aves: Strigiformes), an Owl Mistaken for an Edentate Mammal. American Museum Novitates 2773: 1-11.		 pdf

Minerva leptosteus

Species: Minerva leptosteus (Marsh, 1871).
Original name and description: Bubo leptosteus Marsh, 1871.
Marsh, O.C. 1871. Notice of some new fossil mammals and birds from the Tertiary Formation. The American Journal of Science and Arts. Series 3, vol. 2, no 8, pg. 126.

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Placed in Protostrix by Wetmore, 1937.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1937. The Systematic Position of Bubo leptosteus Marsh. The Condor 39(2): 84-85.		 pdf
Placed back in Minerva by Mourer-Chauviré, 1983.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1983. Minerva antiqua (Aves: Strigiformes), an Owl Mistaken for an Edentate Mammal. American Museum Novitates 2773: 1-11.		 pdf

Minerva saurodosis

Species: Minerva saurodosis Wetmore, 1921.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1921. A Fossil Owl from the Bridger Eocene. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 73(3): 455-458.

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Remarks: Placed in Protostrix by Wetmore, 1933.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1933. The Status of Minerva antiqua, Aquila ferox and Aquila lydekkeri as Fossil Birds. American Museum Novitates 680:1-4.		 pdf
Placed back in Minerva by Mourer-Chauviré, 1983.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1983. Minerva antiqua (Aves: Strigiformes), an Owl Mistaken for an Edentate Mammal. American Museum Novitates 2773: 1-11.		 pdf

Minerva californiensis

Species: Minerva californiensis (Howard, 1965).
Original name and description: Protostrix californiensis Howard, 1965.
Howard, Hildegarde. 1965. First Record of Avian Fossils from the Eocene of California. Journal of Paleontology 39 (3): 350-354, pl. 49.

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Placed in Minerva by Mourer-Chauviré, 1983.
Mourer-Chauviré , Cécile. 1983. Minerva antiqua (Aves: Strigiformes), an Owl Mistaken for an Edentate Mammal. American Museum Novitates 2773: 1-11.		 pdf

Genus Eostrix

Genus Eostrix Brodkorb, 1971.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1971. Catalogue of Fossil Birds. Part 4 (Columbiformes through Piciformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 15: 163-266 (pg. 214).

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Eostrix mimica

Species: Eostrix mimica (Wetmore, 1938).
Original name and description: Protostrix mimica Wetmore, 1938.
Wetmore, Alexander. 1938. Another Fossil Owl from the Eocene of Wyoming. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 85(3031): 27-29

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Remarks: It is the typespecies of Eostrix and was transferred to Eostrix by Brodkorb, 1971.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1971. Catalogue of Fossil Birds. Part 4 (Columbiformes through Piciformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 15: 163-266 (pg. 214).		 pdf

Eostrix martinellii

Species: Eostrix martinellii Martin & Black, 1972.
Martin, Larry D. & Craig C. Black, 1972. A New Owl from the Eocene of Wyoming. The Auk 89: 887-888.

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Genus Oligostrix

Genus Oligostrix Fischer, 1983.
Fischer, K. 1983. Oligostrix rupeliensis n. gen., n. sp., eine neue Ureule (Protostrigidae, Strigiformes, Aves) aus dem marinen Mitteloligoza¨n des Weißelsterbeckens bei Leipzig (DDR). Zeitschrift fu¨r geologische Wissenschaften 11, 483–487.

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Oligostrix rupeliensis (1)

Species: Oligostrix rupeliensis Fischer, 1983.
Fischer, K. 1983. Oligostrix rupeliensis n. gen., n. sp., eine neue Ureule (Protostrigidae, Strigiformes, Aves) aus dem marinen Mitteloligoz ä n des Weißelsterbeckens bei Leipzig (DDR). Zeitschrift f ü r geologische Wissenschaften 11, 483–487.

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Familia Ogygoptyngidae

Familia Ogygoptyngidae Rich & Bohaska, 1981.
Rich, Patricia Vickers & David J. Bohaska, 1981. The Ogygoptyngidae, a New Family of Owls from the Paleocene of North America. Alcheringa 5: 95-102.

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Genus Ogygoptynx

Genus Ogygoptynx Rich & Bohaska, 1976.
Rich, Patricia Vickers & David J. Bohaska, 1976. The World's Oldest Owl: A New Strigiform from the Paleocene of Southwestern Colorado. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 27: 87-93.

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Ogygoptynx wetmorei

Species: Ogygoptynx wetmorei Rich & Bohaska, 1976.
Rich, Patricia Vickers & David J. Bohaska, 1976. The World's Oldest Owl: A New Strigiform from the Paleocene of Southwestern Colorado. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 27: 87-93.

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Familia Strigidae

Familia Strigidae Leach, 1820.
British Museum . Synopsis of the Contents of the British Museum, 1820.
17th Edition. London. R. & A.Taylor. 162 p. [William Elford Leach is unlisted writer of document]. Familia Strigidae is noted on p. 66.

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Genus Otus

Genus Otus Pennant, 1769 .
Pennant, Thomas. 1769. Indian Zoology (Indn. Zool.), p 3.

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Otus guildayi

Species: Otus guildayi Brodkorb & Mourer-Chauviré, 1984.
Brodkorb, Pierce & Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, 1984. Pleistocene Birds from Cumberland Cave, Maryland. In Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Volume in Memorial to John E. Guilday. Hugh H. Genowayf & Mary R. Dawson (eds). Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Special Publication 8: 39-43.

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Otus wintershofensis (1)

Species: Otus wintershofensis (Ballmann, 1969).
Original name and description: Otus wintershofensis Ballmann, 1969.
Ballmann, Peter. 1969. Die Vögel aus der Altburdigalen Spaltenfüllung von Wintershof (West) bei Eichstätt in Bayern. Zitteliana 1: 5-60.

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Genus Bubo

Genus Bubo Duméril, 1806 .
Duméril, André Marie Constant. 1806. Zoologie Analytique, ou Méthode naturelle de Classification des Animauxe, rendue plus facile à l'aide de tableaux synoptiques (Zool. Anal.): p.34.

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Synonyms: Genus Ketupa Lesson, 1830.
Lesson, René Primevère. 1830. Traité d'Ornithologie (Traité d'Orn.): livraison 1, p 114.		 pdf
Fossil synonym: Ophtalmomegas Dehaut, 1911.
Dehaut, E G. 1911. Animaux fossiles du Cap Figari. Matériaux pour Servir à l’Histoire Zoologique et Paléontologique des îles de Corse et de Sardaigne 3: 53-59.		 pdf

Bubo bubo davidi

Fossil subspecies: Bubo bubo davidi Mourer-Chauviré, 1975.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1975. Les Oiseaux du Pléistocène Moyen et Supérieur de France. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de Lyon 64 1er et 2ème fascicule: 1-624.

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Fossil synonym: Bubo lignitum (Giebel, 1860). Originally described as Ardea lignitum.
Giebel, C.G. 1860. Zur Fauna der Braunkohlenformation von Rippersroda in Thüringen. Zeitschrift für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften 16: 147-153. 		pdf
Transfered to Bubo by Brodkorb, 1980.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1980. A New Fossil Heron (Aves: Ardeidae) from the Omo Basin of Ethiopia, with Remarks on the Position of Some Oher Species Assigned to the Ardeidae. Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, Contributions in Science 330: 87-92.		 pdf
Placed in synonymy with Bubo bubo by Mlikovský, 1992.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1992. The Present State of Knowledge of the Tertiary Birds of Central Europe. In Papers in Avian Paleontology Honoring Pierce Brodkorb. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series 36: 433-458.		 pdf

Bubo binagadensis

Species: Bubo binagadensis Burchak-Abramovich, 1965.
Nikolay Iosifovich Burchak-Abramovich, 1965. Une Nouvelle Espèce de Grand-Duc Fossile de Binagade. Ornithologiya 7: 452-454. [in Russian]

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Bubo osvaldoi

Species: Bubo osvaldoi Arredondo & Olson, 1994.
Arredondo, Oscar & Storrs L. Olson. 1994. A New Species of Owl of the Genus Bubo from the Pleistocene of Cuba (Aves: Strigiformes). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 107: 436-444.

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Bubo virginianus

Species: Bubo virginianus (Gmelin, 1788).
Gmelin, Johann Freidrich. 1788. Systema Naturae (Syst. Nat.) 1: pt.1 p 287.

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Fossil synonym: Bubo sinclairi L.H. Miller, 1911.
Miller, Loye Holmes, 1911. Avifauna of the Pleistocene Cave Deposits of California. University of California Publications, Department of Geology 6(16): 385-400.		 pdf
Bubo sinclairi placed in synonymy with Bubo virginianus by Brodkorb & Mourer-Chauviré, 1984.
Brodkorb, Pierce & Cécile Mourer-Chauviré. 1984. Fossil Owls from Early Man Sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich 55(1): 17-27.		 pdf

Bubo leakeyae

Species: Bubo leakeyae Brodkorb & Mourer-Chauviré, 1984.
Pierce Brodkorb & Cécile Mourer-Chauviré. 1984. Fossil Owls from Early Man Sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich 55(1): 17-27.

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Bubo perpasta (1)

Strix? ( = Bubo) perpasta Ballmann, 1976.
Ballmann, Peter. 1976. Fossile Vögel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italien) zweiterTeil. Scripta Geologica 38: 1-59.

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Bubo insularis (1)

Bubo insularis Mourer-Chauviré & Weesie, 1986 .
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile & Peter D. M. Weesie. 1986. Bubo insularis n. sp., Forme Endémique Insulaire de Grand-Duc (Aves, Strigiformes) du Pléistocène de Sardaigne et de Corse. Revue de Paléobiologie 5: 197-205.

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Fossil synonym: Ophtalmomegas lamarmorae Dehaut, 1911.
Dehaut, E G. 1911. Animaux fossiles du Cap Figari. Matériaux pour Servir à l’Histoire Zoologique et Paléontologique des îles de Corse et de Sardaigne 3: 53-59.		 pdf
Remarks: Ophtalmomegas lamarmorae Dehaut, 1911 was described as a Primate. The lectotypical skull was recognized by Schaub & Azzaroli (in Comaschi Caria 1969, 1970) as being from a bird and Pavia, 1999 identified the skull as Bubo insularis Mourer-Chauviré & Weesie, 1986.
Pavia, Marco. 1999. Un cranio di Bubo insularis Mourer-Chauviré & Weesie, 1986 (Aves, Strigidae) nelle brecce ossifere del Pleistocene di Capo Figari (Sardegna, Italia). Atti della Accademia delle Scienze di Torino, 133: 1-10.
In his 1999 publication,  Pavia noted that Ophtalmomegas lamarmorae Dehaut, 1911 is an owl and placed it in Bubo as Bubo lamarmorae (Dehaut, 1911).  He then goes on to synonymize this species with Bubo insularis Mourer-Chauviré & Weesie, 1986. Support for this is in that he states that O. lamarmorae Dehaut, 1911 is a Nomen Oblitum (a forgotten name) and proposed keeping Bubo insularis Mourer-Chauviré & Weesie, 1986 as the valid name.  One of the rules in calling a name a Nomen Oblitum is that it has not been used in the last 50 years; Pavia 1999, page 5, shows that the name O. lamarmorae Dehaut, 1911 had not been used since 1920.		 pdf

Bubo scandiacus gallicus

Species: Bubo scandiacus (Linnaeus, 1758).
Linnaeus, Carolis. 1758. Systema Naturae (Syst. Nat.) ed. 10: p 92.

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Fossil subspecies: Bubo scandicus gallicus (Mourer-Chauviré, 1975).
Original name: Nyctea scandiaca gallica Mourer-Chauviré, 1975.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1975. Les Oiseaux du Pléistocène Moyen et Supérieur de France. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de Lyon 64 1er et 2ème fascicule: 1-624.		 pdf

Genus Alasio

Genus Alasio Mlikovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two New Owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of the Czech Republic, With Comments on the Fossil History of the Subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.

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Alasio collongensis

Species: Alasio collongensis (Ballmann, 1972).
Original name and description: Strix collongensis Ballmann, 1972.
Ballmann, Peter. 1972. Les Oiseaux Miocènes de Vieux-Collonges. Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de Lyon 50: 93-101.

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Placed in Alasio by Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two New Owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of the Czech Republic, With Comments on the Fossil History of the Subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.		 pdf

Genus Strix

Genus Strix Linnaeus, 1758.
Linnaeus, Carolis. 1758. Systema Naturae (Syst. Nat.) ed. 10: p 92.

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Strix dakota

Species: Strix dakota A.H. Miller, 1944.
Miller, A.H. 1944. An Avifauna from the Lower Miocene of South Dakota. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bull. Dept. Geol. Sci. 27: 85-100.

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Strix edwardsi

Species: Strix edwardsi (Ennouchi, 1930).
Original name and description: Strix Edwardsi Ennouchi, 1930.
Ennouchi, Émile. 1930. Contribution à l'Étude de la Faune du Tortonien de La Grive St-Alban, Isère (Révision Générale. Étude Ornithologique.). Thèse Fac. Sci. Paris (Sér. A), no. 1 1-135, 4 figs., 6 pls.

Remarks: Ennouchi described the species in the genus Strix auct. [ = Tyto Billberg, 1828], not in Strix [Linnaeus, 1758.].

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Brodkorb, 1971 transferred it to Tyto.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1971. Catalogue of Fossil Birds. Part 4 (Columbiformes through Piciformes). Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 15: 163-266 (pg. 214).		 pdf
Mlikovský, 1998 transferred it to Strix Linnaeus, 1758.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two New Owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of the Czech Republic, With Comments on the Fossil History of the Subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-21.		 pdf

Strix brea

Species: Strix brea Howard, 1933.
Howard, Hildegarde. 1933. A New Species of Owl from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. The Condor 35: 66-69.

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Strix intermedia (1)

Strix intermedia Jánossy, 1972 .
Jánossy, Dénes. 1972. Die Mittelpleistozäne Vogelfauna der Stránská Skála. Anthropos, Studia Musei Moraviae, Brno 20 (N.S./12): 35-64.

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Genus Intulula

Genus Intulula Mlikovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.

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Intulula tinnipara

Species: Intulula tinnipara Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský , Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.

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Intulula brevis

Species: Intulula brevis (Ballmann, 1969).
Original name and description: Strix brevis Ballmann, 1969.
Ballmann, Peter. 1969. Die Vögel aus der Altburdigalen Spaltenfüllung von Wintershof (West) bei Eichstätt in Bayern. Zitteliana 1: 5-60.

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Mlikovský, 1998 transferred it to Intulula.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.		 pdf

Genus Mioglaux

Genus Mioglaux Mlikovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.

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Mioglaux poirrieri

Species: Mioglaux poirrieri (Milne-Edwards, 1863).
Original name and description: Bubo Poirrieri Milne-Edwards, 1863.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse. 1863. Sur la Distribution Géologique des Oiseaux Fossiles et Description de Quelques Espèces Nouvelles. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences ( Paris) 56: 1219-1222.

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Mlikovský, 1998 tranferred it to Mioglaux.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.		 pdf

Mioglaux debellatrix

Species: Mioglaux debellatrix Mlíkovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22.

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Genus Grallistrix

Genus Grallistrix Olson & James, 1991 .
Olson, Storrs L. & Helen F. James. 1991. Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds From the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs No. 45: 1-88.

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Grallistrix auceps

Species: Grallistrix auceps Olson & James, 1991.
Olson, Storrs L. & Helen F. James. 1991. Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds From the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs No. 45: 1-88.

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Grallistrix orion

Species: Grallistrix orion Olson & James, 1991.
Olson, Storrs L. & Helen F. James. 1991. Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds From the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs No. 45: 1-88.

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Grallistrix geleches

Species: Grallistrix geleches Olson & James, 1991.
Olson, Storrs L. & Helen F. James. 1991. Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds From the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs No. 45: 1-88.

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Grallistrix erdmani

Species: Grallistrix erdmani Olson & James, 1991.
Olson, Storrs L. & Helen F. James. 1991. Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds From the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs No. 45: 1-88.

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Genus Ornimegalonyx

Genus Ornimegalonyx Arredondo, 1958.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1958. Aves Gigantes de Nuestro Pasado Prehistórico, El Cartero Cubana. La Habana, Ano XVII No 7: 10-12.

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Ornimegalonyx oteroi

Species: Ornimegalonyx oteroi Arredondo, 1958.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1958. Aves Gigantes de Nuestro Pasado Prehistórico, El Cartero Cubana. La Habana, Ano XVII No 7: 10-12.

Remarks: sometimes called Ornimegalonyx arredondoi Arredondo, 1958, a rejected name based on the same lectotype.

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Ornimegalonyx acevedoi

Species: Ornimegalonyx acevedoi Arredondo, 1982.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1982. Los Strigiformes Fósiles del Pleistoceno Cubano. Boletin del Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias Naturales 37: 33-55.

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Ornimegalonyx minor

Species: Ornimegalonyx minor Arredondo, 1982.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1982. Los Strigiformes Fósiles del Pleistoceno Cubano. Boletin del Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias Naturales 37: 33-55.

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Ornimegalonyx gigas

Species: Ornimegalonyx gigas Arredondo, 1982.
Arredondo, Oscar. 1982. Los Strigiformes Fósiles del Pleistoceno Cubano. Boletin del Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias Naturales 37: 33-55.

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Genus Pulsatrix

Genus Pulsatrix Kaup, 1848 .
Kaup, Johannes Jacob. 1848. Isis (oder Encyclopaedische Zeitung, von Oken 1817-1848 Jena) 41: col. 771.

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Pulsatrix arredondoi

Species: Pulsatrix arredondoi Brodkorb, 1969.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1969. An Extinct Pleistocene Owl from Cuba. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 31(2): 112-114.

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Genus Surnia

Genus Surnia Duméril, 1806 .
Duméril, André Marie Constant. 1806. Zoologie Analytique, ou méthode naturelle de Classification des Animaux, rendue plus facile à l'aide de tableaux synoptiques (Zool. Anal.): p 34.

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Surnia robusta

Species: Surnia robusta Jánossy, 1977.
Jánossy, Dénes. 1977. Plio-Pleistocene Bird Remains from the Carpathian Basin. III. Strigiformes, Falconiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Apodiformes. Aquila 83: 9-36.

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Surnia capeki

Species: Surnia capeki Jánossy, 1972.
Dénes Jánossy. 1972. Die Mittelpleistozäne Vogelfauna der Stránská Skála. Anthropos, Studia Musei Moraviae, Brno 20 (N.S./12): 35-64.

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Genus Glaucidium

Genus Glaucidium Boie, 1826.
Boie, Friedrich. 1826. Isis (oder Encyclopaedische Zeitung, von Oken 1817-1848 Jena) 19: col. 976.

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Glaucidium explorator

Species: Glaucidium explorator Emslie, 1998.
Emslie, Steven D. 1998. Avian Community, Climate, and Sea-level Changes in the Plio-Pleistocene of the Florida Peninsula. Ornithological Monographs, 50: 1-113.

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Genus Athene

[includes former Genus Speotyto]

Genus Athene Boie, 1822 .
Boie, Friedrich. 1822. Isis (oder Encyclopaedische Zeitung, von Oken 1817-1848 Jena) 10, 11: col. 549.

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Athene angelis

Species: Athene angelis Mourer-Chauviré, Salotti, Pereira, Quinif, Courtois, Dubois & La Milza, 1997.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile, Michelle Salotti, Elizabeth Pereira, Yves Quinif, Jean-Yves Courtois, Jean-Noël Dubois and Jean-Claude La Milza. 1997. Athene angelis n. sp. (Aves, Strigiformes) Nouvelle Espèce Endémique Insulaire Éteinte du Pléistocène Moyen et Supérieur de Corse ( France). Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris t. 324, Sér. II: 677-684.

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Athene trinacriae

Species: Athene trinacriae Pavia & Mourer-Chauviré, 2002.
Pavia , Marco & Cécile Mourer-Chauviré. 2002. An Overview of the Genus Athene in the Pleistocene of the Mediterranean Islands, with the Description of Athene trinacriae n. sp. (Aves: Strigidae). Proceedings of the 5th Symposium of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Beijing, 1-4 June 2000: 13-27.

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Athene noctua lunellensis

Species: Athene noctua (Scopoli, 1769).
Scopoli, Giovanni Antonio. 1769. Annus I-(V) Historico-Naturalis (Annus I Hist.-Nat.): p 22.

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Fossil subspecies: Athene noctua lunellensis Mourer-Chauviré, 1975.
Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, 1975. Les Oiseaux du Pléistocène Moyen et Supérieur de France: Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de Lyon 64 1er et 2ème fascicule: 1-624.		 pdf

Athene cretensis

Species: Athene cretensis Weesie, 1982.
Weesie, Peter D.M. 1982. A Pleistocene Endemic Island Form Within the Genus Athene: Athene cretensis n. sp. (Aves: Strigiformes) from Crete. Proceedings of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen B 85: 323-336.

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Athene [Speotyto] megalopeza

Species: Speotyto megalopeza Ford, 1966.
Ford, Norman L. 1966. Fossil Owls from the Rexroad Fauna of the Upper Pliocene of Kansas . The Condor, 68(5): 472-475.

Remarks: Alan Feduccia 1970 thinks this is a temporal subspecies of Speotyto cunicularia (Molina, 1782) because Speotyto cunicularia intermedia Feduccia, 1970, is intermediate in size between Speotyto megalopeza Ford, 1966 and Speotyto cunicularia (Molina, 1782). Speotyto megalopeza Ford, 1966 is a bit larger than Speotyto cunicularia (Molina, 1782).

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Athene cunicularia

Species: Speotyto cunicularia (Molina, 1782).
Molina, Giovanni Ignazio [Juan Ignazio]. 1782. Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chile (Saggio Storia Nat. Chile). p. 263.

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Fossil synonym: Glaucidium dickinsoni Brodkorb 1959:358.
Fossil synonym: Otus providentiae Brodkorb, 1959:360.
Brodkorb, Pierce. 1959. Pleistocene Birds from New Providence Island, Bahamas. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 4(11): 349-371.		 pdf
Otus providentiae and Glaucidium dickinsoni were placed into synonymy with Speotyto cunicularia by Olson & Pregill 1982.
Olson, Storrs L. and Gregory K. Pregill. 1982. Fossil vertebrates from the Bahamas. In S.L. Olson (ed.), Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology no. 48. Smithsonian Institution Press. 1982. iii, 65 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.		 pdf

Athene [Speotyto] cunicularia intermedia

Speotyto cunicularia intermedia Feduccia 1970
Feduccia, Alan. 1970. The Avifauna of the Sand Draw Local Fauna (Aftonian) of Brown County, Nebraska. Wilson Bulletin 82: 332-334.

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Genus Aegolius

Genus Aegolius Kaup, 1829 .
Kaup, Johannes Jacob. 1829. Skizzirte Entwickelungs-Geschichte und natürliches der Europäischen Thierwelt (Skizz. Entwick.-Gesch. Europ. Thierw.): p 34.

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Aegolius funereus

Species: Aegolius funereus (Linnaeus, 1758).
Linnaeus, Carolis. 1758. Systema Naturae (Syst. Nat.) ed. 10: p 93.

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Fossil synonym: Athene noctua veta Jánossy, 1974.
Jánossy, D. 1974. Upper Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene bird remains from Poland. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia 19(21): 531-566.		 pdf
Mlikovský, 1992 placed the subspecies Athene noctua veta in synonymy with Aegolius funereus.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1992. The present state of knowledge of the Tertiary birds of Central Europe. In K.E. Campbell (ed.). Studies in avian paleornithology honoring Pierce Brodkorb. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series 36: 433-458. 		pdf

Genus Asio

Genus Asio Brisson, 1760 .
Brisson, Mathurin Jacques. 1760. Ornithologie; ou Méthodes contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, espèces & leurs variétés, 1, p. 28.

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Asio longaevus

Species: Asio longaevus (Umanskaya, 1979)
Original name and description: Bubo longaevus Umanskaya, 1979.
Umans'ka, A.S. 1979. Novyj vid filina (Bubo longaevus) iz pozdneneogenovych otlo enij severnogo Pri ernomor'ja USSR [New species of a horned owl (Bubo longaevus) from the late Neogene deposits of northern Pri ernomor'e in the Ukrainian SSR.]. Dopovidi Akademiji Nauk Ukrajins'koji RSR (B) 1979: 779-782. [In Russian.]

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Transfered to Asio by Mlikovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. Two new owls (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of the Czech Republic, with comments on the fossil history of the subfamily Striginae. Buteo 10: 5-22. 		pdf

Asio brevipes

Species: Asio brevipes Ford & Murray, 1967.
Ford, Norman L. & Bertram G. Murray, jr., 1967. Fossil Owls from the Hagerman Local Fauna (Upper Pliocene) of Idaho. The Auk 84: 115-117.

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Asio priscus

Species: Asio priscus Howard, 1964.
Hildegarde Howard. 1964. A Fossil Owl from Santa Rosa Island: Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 63: 27-31.

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Genus Mascarenotus

Genus Mascarenotus Mourer-Chauviré, Bour, Moutou & Ribes, 1994.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994. Mascarenotus Nov. Gen. (Aves: Strigiformes) Genre Endémique Éteint des Mascareignes et M. grucheti N. Sp. Espèce Éteinte de la Réunion. Académie des Sciences, Comptes Rendus, sér. 2A 318: 1699-1706.

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Mascarenotus sauzieri

Species: Mascarenotus sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893).
Original name (and now Synonym): Strix sauzieri Newton & Gadow, 1893.
Newton , Edward, and Hans Gadow. 1893. On Additional Bones of the Dodo and Other Extinct Birds of Mauritius Obtained by Mr. Theodore Sauzier. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 13, part 7(1):281-302, plates 33-37.

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Synonym: Scops commersoni Oustalet, 1896. Oustalet, E. 1896. Notice sur la faune ornithologique ancienne et modeme des Iles Mascareignes et en particulier de l'Ile Maurice d'après des documents inédits. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, série 8, (Zoologie), 3:1-128. pdf
Synonym: Strix newtoni Rothschild, 1907.
Rothschild, L.W.R. 1907. Extinct birds, an attempt to write in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times, that is within the last six or seven hundred years: to which are added a few which still exist, but are on the verge of extinction / by the Hon. Walter Rothschild. London: Hutchinson. XXIX + 243 p. 		pdf
New Combinations: Tyto sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893).
Hachisuka, 1953. Tyto newtoni (Rothschild, 1907).
Hachisuka, 1953 . "Tyto" sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893).
Hachisuka , Masauji. 1953. The Dodo and kindred birds. H. & G. Witherby, London. xvi + 250 pp.		 pdf
Synonym: "Tyto" newtoni (Rothschild, 1907). Cowles, 1987.
Cowles, 1987. Graham S. Cowles, 1987: The Fossil Record. In Studies of
Mascarene Island Birds A.W. Diamond editor: Cambridge University Press. 		pdf

New Genus: Mascarenotus sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893). Mourer-Chauviré, Bour, Moutou & Ribes, 1994.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994. Mascarenotus Nov. Gen. (Aves: Strigiformes) Genre Endémique Éteint des Mascareignes et M. grucheti N. Sp. Espèce Éteinte de la Réunion. Académie des Sciences, Comptes Rendus, sér. 2A 318: 1699-1706.

Remarks: Notes on the history of this taxa:
1893: Strix sauzieri Newton and Gadow, 1893. They described it from fossil material.
1896: Scops commersoni Oustalet, 1896. Described from a drawing at natural size by Jossine in a manuscript from around 1770 from Commerson. On the drawing the size of the tarsometatarsus corresponds with the size of the tarsometatarsus of  Mascarenotus sauzieri. There is no other form of Strigiform on Mauritius, so it is placed in synonymy by Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994.
1907: Strix newtoni Rothschild, 1907.
1953: Tyto sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893). New Combination by Hachisuka, 1953, pg. 132.
1953: Tyto newtoni (Rothschild, 1907). New Combination by Hachisuka, 1953, pg. 133.
1971: Tyto sauzieri (Newton and Gadow, 1893). Brodkorb, 1971 places Tyto sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893) and Tyto newtoni ( Newton, 1907) into synonymy.
1987: "Tyto" sauzieri (Newton and Gadow, 1893). and "Tyto" newtoni (Rothschild, 1907). Cowles, 1987 doubts the species are placed in the right genus.
1994:  Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994 acknowledge the synonymy and erect the genus Mascarenotus for the species.

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Mascarenotus murivorus

Species: Mascarenotus murivorus (Milne-Edwards, 1873).
Original name: Strix (Athene) murivora Milne-Edwards, 1873.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse. 1873. Recherches sur la Faune Ancienne de l'Ile Rodrigues. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences ( Paris) 77: 810-814.

Remarks: The specific reference to Strix (Athene) murivora can be found i n Milne-Edwards (1873) Recherches sur la faune ancienne des Iles Mascareignes. Annales des Sciences naturelles, Vème série, Zoologie, Paris, tome XIX, 31 pp., pl. 11-15, where it is written : "Il est donc probable que cette espèce constitue une espèce nouvelle… Je proposerai de lui donner le nom de Strix (Athene) murivora." Farther in the description and in the measurements of the tibiotarsus it is written Athene murivora. In the explanation of figures, p. 29, pl. 11, fig. 2, it is written:"Tibia du Strix murivora".

Synonym: Carine murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1873).

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Synonym: Günther & Newton, 1879.
Günther, A., and Edward Newton. 1879. The Extinct Birds of Rodriguez. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 168:423-437, plates 41-43.		 pdf

Synonym: Bubo (?) leguati Rothschild, 1907.
Rothschild, L.W.R. 1907. Extinct birds, an attempt to write in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times, that is within the last six or seven hundred years : to which are added a few which still exist, but are on the verge of extinction / by the Hon. Walter Rothschild. London: Hutchinson. XXIX + 243 p.

Remarks: Notes on the history of this taxa:
1873: Strix (Athene) murivora Milne-Edwards, 1873. pg. 129. based on a tibiotarsus and a tarsometatarsus.
1873: Strix sp. Milne-Edwards, 1873 pg. 129 based on another tibiotarsus of which he thought it was closer to Bubo.
1879: Carine murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1873). New combination Günther & Newton, 1879. pg. 424. They had some tibiotarsi from Rodriguez and placed them in the same species as the one described by Milne-Edwards, 1879 but under the name Carine murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1873).
1907: Bubo (?) leguati Rothschild, 1907 based on Strix sp. Milne-Edwards, 1873. pg. 129.
1933: Lambrecht recognized Bubo (?) leguati Rothschild, 1907 besides Athene murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1879).
1953: Bubo leguati Rothschild, 1907 recognized by Hachisuka (pg. 131), besides Athene murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1879).
1987: "Tyto" [Ninox] murivora (Milne-Edwards, 1879). Cowles, 1987. (pg. 98)
Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994. The bones figured by Milne-Edwards (1873) and by Günther & Newton, 1879 show the characteristics of the genus Mascarenotus; leading to the perspective that there was only one species of Strigiformes on Rodriguez. So all names are synonyms in the genus Mascarenotus.

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Mascarenotus grucheti

Species: Mascarenotus grucheti Mourer-Chauviré, Bour, Moutou & Ribes, 1994. Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile, C. Roger Bour, François Moutou & Sonia Ribes, 1994. Mascarenotus Nov. Gen. (Aves: Strigiformes) Genre Endémique Éteint des Mascareignes et M. grucheti N. Sp. Espèce Éteinte de la Réunion. Académie des Sciences, Comptes Rendus, sér. 2A 318: 1699-1706.

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Synonym: "Tyto" sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893).
Newton , Edward and Hans Gadow. 1893. On Additional Bones of the Dodo and Other Extinct Birds of Mauritius Obtained by Mr. Theodore Sauzier. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 13, part 7(1):281-302, plates 33-37.		 pdf

Synonym: "Tyto" newtoni (Rothschild, 1907) Cowles, 1987.
Cowles, Graham S. 1987. The Fossil Record. Pp. 90-100 In Studies of Mascarene Island Birds. A.W. Diamond (ed). Cambridge University Press. 458 p.

Remarks: Notes on the history of this taxa:
1987: “Tyto” sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893) Cowles, 1987. Cowles also had some Strigiformes material from the Grotte des Premiers Français at Saint-Paul and from Grotte de l'Autel at Saint-Giles both on Réunion and placed them in “Tyto” sauzieri (Newton & Gadow, 1893). But they differ from Mascarenotus sauzieri Newton and Gadow, 1893 and Mascarenotus murivorus (Milne-Edwards, 1873) at the species level.

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(1) We note suggestions on this taxa by Jirí Mlíkovský (2002. Cenozoic Birds of the World Part 1: Europe Praha Ninox Press: 1-407), but call into question the scientific validity of these proposed changes; see critique of Mourer-Chauviré 2004 (Cecilé Mourer-Chauviré. 2004. Cenozoic birds of the world. Part 1: Europe. [book review]. Auk 121(2):623-627).

Table 2. Bird fossils that have not been fully verified (or cannot be fully verified), and currently remain Incertae Sedis (of uncertain taxonomic position).

Asio pygmaeus

Species: Asio pygmaeus Serebrovsky, 1941. The holotype is missing so it cannot be studied.
Serebrovskij, P.V. 1941. Pticy iz pliocenovych otloženij Odessy [Birds from the
Pliocene deposits of Odessa.] – Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR (novaja serija) 33: 476-479. [In Russian.]

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Bubo florianae

Species: Bubo florianae Kretzoi, 1957.
Kretzoi, Miklós. 1957. Bird-Remains from the Hipparion-Fauna of Csákvár. Aquila 63: 239-248.

Remarks: Based on a phalanx coming from a large owl but it is impossible to determine it further than Strigidae.

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Strix ignota

Species: Strix ignota Milne-Edwards, 1871.
Milne-Edwards, Alphonse. 1869-1871. Recherches anatomiques et paléontologiques pour servir à l'histoire des oiseaux fossiles de la France. Vol. 2. Paris. G. Masson, 627 pp. + pls. 97-200. [1869 = livraisons 26-30; 1871 = livraisons 31 ff.; dating after Ronsil 1948: 346.]

Remarks: The name is available, however, material needs restudy to see what genus it belongs in.

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The following notes are from Mlíkovský 2002 (Mlíkovský, Jirí. 2002. Cenozoic Birds of the World Part 1: Europe Praha Ninox Press: 1-407):
Strix ignota Milne-Edwards, 1871: 580 [Holotype from Sansan: distal end of left tarsometatarsus, lacking trochlea of digit IV; MNHN Sa-1254. Figured by Milne-Edwards 1869-1871, pl. 192, fig. 1, 1a, 2, 2a; and Cheneval 2000.]
Tyto ignota (Milne-Edwards): Brodkorb 1971b: 230 [New combination.]
Asio (?) ignotus (Milne-Edwards): Cheneval 2000: 365 [New combination.]
Distribution: Middle Miocene (MN 6) of Sansan, France (Milne-Edwards 1969-1871 sub Strix sp. (p. 499) and Strix ignota (p. 580), Mlíkovský 1998c, Mourer-Chauviré 1999c, Cheneval 2000).
Lambrecht (1933: 613) and Brodkorb (1971: 230) erroneously attributed this name to Paris (1912). Paris (1912: 287) and Lambrecht (1921: 97) attributed this name to Milne-Edwards (1871: 499), referring to a page, where the name does not appear. This led Mlíkovský (1998c: 255) to conclude, that the name never did exist, and that Paris (1912) listed it in error. However, Mourer-Chauviré (1999c: 363) and Cheneval (2000: 368) observed, that Milne- Edwards (1871) created the name on p. 580 with a notice, that the species originated from Sansan, and under the reference to p. 499 of the same work. Accordingly, Strix ignota is available with Milne-Edwards (1871: 580) as its author.
Cheneval (2000) compared the fossil with only a few modern European owl genera, not considering e.g. the Surniini. He presented no convincing evidence that the species belongs to Asio Brisson, and correctly expressed his doubts about this allocation, adding a question-mark to the genus. I leave the species in the Strigidae inc. sedis, but I agree with Cheneval (2000), that it belongs to the Striginae (in the present sense), not to the Tytoninae.

Cited reference:
Paris, P. 1912. Oiseaux fossiles de France. Revue Française d'Ornithologie 37: 283-298.

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"Eostrix" vincenti (2)

Species: "Eostrix" vincenti Harrison, 1980.
Harrison, Colin James Oliver. 1980: A Small Owl from the Lower Eocene of Britain: Tertiary Research 3(2): 83-87.

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Messelastur gratulator

In 2005, Gerald Mayr described a sistergroup of the Strigiformes: Familia Messelasturidae Mayr, 2005, in which Messelastur gratulator (Peters 1994) was one of the species.
Mayr, Gerald. 2005. The Postcranial Osteology and Phylogenetic Position of the Middle Eocene Messelastur gratulator Peters, 1994 - A Morphological Link between Owls (Strigiformes) and Falconiform Birds? Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25 (3): 635-645.

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Species: Messelastur gratulator Peters, 1994.
Peters, Dieter Stephan. 1994. Messelastur gratulator n. gen. n. spec., ein Greifvogel aus der Grube Messel (Aves, Accipitridae). Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 170: 3-9. 		pdf

Tynskya eocaena

Species: Tynskya eocaena Mayr, 2000.
Mayr, Gerald. 2000. A New Raptor-like Bird from the Lower Eocene of North America and Europe. Senckenbergiana Lethaea 80: 59-65.

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Alvarezsauridae

In 1975, Harrison and Walker described Bradycneme draculae, Heptasteornis andrewsi in a new family Bradycnemidae (specifically from the Cretaceous of Romania. However, these fossils are now believed to belong in the Alvarezsauridae, a group supposed to be close to Aves, and sometimes even believed to be in Aves. Thus: Alvarezsauridae: Bradycneme draculae, Heptasteornis andrewsi.
Collin James Oliver Harrison & Cyril Alexander Walker, 1975. The Bradycnemidae, a New Family of Owls from the Upper Cretaceous of Romania. Palaeontology 18: 563-570.

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(2)We note suggestions on this taxa by Jirí Mlíkovský (2002. Cenozoic Birds of the World Part 1: Europe Praha Ninox Press: 1-407), but call into question the scientific validity of these proposed changes; see critique of Mourer-Chauviré 2004 (Cecilé Mourer-Chauviré. 2004. Cenozoic birds of the world. Part 1: Europe. [book review]. Auk 121(2):623-627).

Table 3. Fossils of species that were initially placed in Strigiformes, but have since been transferred to other groups.

Eoglaucidium pallas

 

Species: Eoglaucidium pallas Fischer, 1987.
Karlheinz Fischer, 1987. Eulenreste (Eoglaucidium pallas) N. Gen., N. Sp. (Srigiformes, Aves) aus de Mitteleozänen Braunkohle des Geiseltals bei Halle (DDR). Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum Berlin 63, supplement. Annalen für Ornithologie (11): 137-142.

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Placed in the Familia Sandcoleidae by Houde & Olson, 1992.
Houde, P., and Storrs L. Olson. 1992. A radiation of coly-like birds from the Eocene of North America (Aves: Sandcoleiformes, new order).  Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, No. 36: 137-160. 		pdf

Balearica rummeli

Species: Balearica rummeli (Mlikovský, 1998).
Original name: Basityto rummeli Mlikovský, 1998.
Mlíkovský, Jirí. 1998. A New Barn Owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the Early Miocene of Germany, with Comments on the Fossil History of the Tytoninae. Journal für Ornithologie 139: 247-261.

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Transferred to Balearica by Mourer-Chauviré, 2001.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 2001. The Systematic Position of the Genus Basityto Mlikovsky 1998 (Aves: Gruiformes: Gruidae). Proceedings of the Biological
Society of Washington 114: 964-971. 		pdf

Strigogyps dubius

Species: Strigogyps dubius Gaillard, 1908.
Gaillard, Claude. 1908. Les Oiseaux des Phosphorites du Quercy. Annales de l’Université de Lyon, nouvelle série fascicule 23: 1-178.

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Transfered by Mourer-Chauviré 1981 to Aves Incertae Sedis.
Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile. 1981. Première indication de la présence de Phorusrhacidés, Famille d’oiseaux géants d’Amérique du Sud, dans le Tertiaire Européean: Ameghinornis nov. gen. (Aves, Ralliformes) des Phosphorites du Quercy, France. Geobios 14:637–647.		 pdf
Transferred by Mayr 2005 to the Familia Ameghinornithidae Mourer-Chauviré, 1981.
Gerald Mayr, 2005: "Old World Phorusrhacids" (Aves, Phorusrhacidae): a New Look at Strigogyps ("Aenigmavis") sapea (Peters 1987). PaleoBios 25 (1): 11-16.		 pdf
** But see Peters, Dieter Stephan. 2007. The Fossil Family Ameghinornithidae (Mourer-Chauviré 1981): a Short Synopsis. Journal of Ornithology 148: 25-28. pdf

Palaeophoyx columbiana

Species: Palaeophoyx columbiana McCoy, 1963.
Remarks: Based on a coracoïd and an ulna. The coracoïd is from Botaurus lentiginosus Rackett, 1813; the ulna is from Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769).

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Table 4. Owl taxa that are Nomen Nudum (classification yet unsupported).

Aurorornis taurica - Nomen Nudum

Nomen Nudum (classification yet unsupported):

Species: Aurorornis taurica Panteleyev, 1999.
Remarks: Species: not yet published.

The following text from the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution Information Letter, n° 13, October 1999:
Concerning the Paleogene birds, Andrei Panteleyev has described a new form of owl, Aurorornistaurica, n. g. n. sp. (Strigiformes: Protostrigidae) from the Upper Eocene of the Crimea. The complete tarsometatarsus is very similar, in size and proportions to Aegolius funereus. But it is different from all fossil and recent Strigiformes in the morphology of the proximal end. The main difference is the very short (in proximo-distal direction) crista medialis hypotarsi.
PANTELEYEV A.V. (in press) New species of an owl and other birds from the Eocene of Crimea. Rus. J. Ornith., Express-issue (in Russian).

A new species closely related to two species of the genus Necrobyas

Species: not yet published.
Abstract only (below), from the Sixth International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Quillan , France , 28th September – 3rd October, 2004.

A NEW SPECIES OF OWL (AVES: STRIGIFORMES) FROM THE EOCENE WASATCH FORMATION, WYOMING AND A SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF FOSSIL OWLS
Johan Dalsätt
Swedish Museum of Natural History. P.O. Box 50007. SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden ([email protected] ).
The owls have a long evolutionary history and several taxa have been described from the Paleocene and onwards. I will here present a new taxon collected in the middle Eocene Green River formation in Wyoming U.S.A. I also conduct a phylogenetic analysis of recent and fossil owls in order to shed light on their intra-ordinal relationships. The phylogenetic analysis resulted in a largely unresolved tree, but some groupings of owls were discovered. The new species is closely related to two species of the genus Necrobyas of the Paleogene of Europe. It is argued that this genus is another example of terrestrial organisms that were distributed in both Europe and North America during the Eocene.

Interesting fossil owl literature not mentioned before.

Strigiformes from the Neogene of Spain

Antonio Sanches-Marco, 2001: Strigiformes from the Neogene of Spain: Ibis 143: 313-316.

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Integrating the Fossil Record in the Study of Insular Body Size Evolution: Example of Owls

Louchart, A. 2005. Integrating the Fossil Record in the Study of Insular Body Size Evolution: Example of Owls (Aves, Strigiformes). In Alcover, J.A. & Bover, P. (eds.) Proceedings of the International Symposium “Insular Vertebrate Evolution: the Palaeontological Approach”.Monografies de la Societat d’Història Natural de les Balears, 12: 155-174.

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Asio accipitrinus = Asio flammeus

Asio accipitrinus = Asio flammeus Pontoppidan 1763.
Remarks: Ferrant and Friant, 1940 described an owl as Asio accipitrinus, but it was a synonym of Asio flammeus, the Short-eared Owl; as previously noted by Lambrecht 1933.
Pontoppidan, Erik. 1763. Den danske atlas eller konge-riget Dannemark, med dets naturlige egenskaber, elementer, indbyggere, vaexter, dyr og andre affodninger, dets gamle tildrageiser of naervaerene omstaendigheder i alle provintzer, staeder, kirker, slotte of herregaarde (Dansk. Atlas) 1: p 617, pl. 25.
Species?: Asio accipitrinus Ferrant & Friant, 1940.
Asio accipitrinus Ferrant & Friant, 1940 . La Faune Pléistocène d'Oetrange (Grand-Duché de Luxembourg). Fasc. V. X. Les Oiseaux. XI. Les Reptiles. XII. Les Batraciens. Appendice. Bull. Soc. Nat. Luxembourg [Jubilee volume], 34, 185-220, 5 figs., 5 pls.
Asio accipitrinus Pallas 1771 is a synonym of the Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus; see Lambrecht (1933, p. 772) where Asio accipitrinus Pallas is given as Sumpfeule. The name Sumpfeule (Otus brachyotus) is the obsolete name for the Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus.
Lambrecht, K. 1933. Handbuch der Palaeornithologie. Gebrüder Borntraeger , Berlin . 1024 pp.

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