Overview
The lesser horned owl or Magellanic horned owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a large owl of the genus Bubo found in southern South America, extending north to the central Andes. It has traditionally been classified as a subspecies of the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), but is now treated as a separate species based on differences in voice and size and because of the genetic distance between the two.
It is about 45 cm (18 in) long with birds in the north of the range being largest. It has broad wings and a large head with two "ear" tufts.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Central Peru to western Bolivia, Chile, and northwestern Argentina, thence central Argentina to Tierra del Fuego including Cape Horn.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Lesser horned owl
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
