The Owls of Mexico

Abstract

Mexico has 34 owl species, but little is known about their ecology particularly for tropical species. Of the 12 genera of owl species in the country, the genera Megascops and Glaucidium are the most diverse with eight species each. Strix has five species and Asio four. Four species are extensively distributed in the country, while others have distributions restricted to only one state in the country: Megascops lambi (endemic to the Pacific slope in the state of Oaxaca), M. barbarus (endemic to the highlands of Chiapas and Guatemala), and G. hoskinsii (endemic to the highlands of South Baja California). Another distributional pattern is altitudinal, where species with a wide latitudinal distribution also have a wide altitudinal distribution (e.g., Tyto furcata, Bubo virginianus). Thirteen species are distributed below 1500 m above sea level, and only seven species have a distribution over an altitude greater than 1500 m. The majority of owl species are forest species, and then the loss of these environments strongly affects their survival. Currently, secondary forests and ecotones have been considered important areas for owls. All of the owl species are included in Appendix II of CITES, and three species are listed on BirdLife International as near threatened (Megascops barbarus, M. seductus, and S. occidentalis). The Mexican Official Norm (NOM-059) currently considers 18 owls in a risk category, the majority is endangered, and three are at risk of extinction. Although these are national categories, there is little empirical information about the population trends or status of these species. The different impacts on and threats to owl populations are local, but also regional. The principal threats are habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation; introduction of exotic species; pesticide contamination; illegal trafficking; and superstitious beliefs of bad luck. Empirical knowledge about this group has been increasing in recent years, primarily for species with species distributed in temperate zones. However, more effort in research should be considered necessary to improve our understanding from descriptive approaches but also functional and evolutionary ones.