Bay owl
| Bay owl | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oriental bay owl | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Tytonidae |
| Genus: | Phodilus I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1830 |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Photodilus | |
The bay owls are barn owls of the genus Phodilus, subfamily Phodilinae.
Bay owls appear similar to other barn owls; they are generally smaller, have ear-like feather tufts, and have a more divided and U-shaped facial disk.
Most classification schemes recognize three species in this genus: the oriental bay owl (Phodilus badius), the Sri Lanka bay owl (Phodilus assimilis) and the Congo bay owl (Phodilus prigoginei).
P. prigoginei is not well known and was initially considered a subspecies of P. badius; today, however, it is not clear whether the African species would not be better placed in Tyto or a monotypic genus. It is similar to the other Phodilus species in being smaller than typical barn owls, and having the more U-shaped facial disk; however, the ear-like feather tufts are hardly visible.
An apparently extinct population from Samar Island might constitute a fourth species, but the only known specimen has been lost.
References
- Bruce, M. D. (1999): Family Tytonidae (Barn-owls). In: del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (eds): Handbook of Birds of the World, Volume 5: Barn-owls to Hummingbirds: 34-75, plates 1-3. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-25-3
- "Phodilus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
Other sources
- Pycraft, W. P. (1903). "On the Pterylography of Photodilus". Ibis 45 (1): 36–48. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1903.tb03917.x.
