ASK,.
Of medium size ; ear tufts present, but vary in size ; ear openings very large and asymmetrical ; wings reach beyond tail ; tarsi feathered.
Asio otus otus (L.). LONG-EARED OWL. Fr. Hibou vulgaire ; Ger. Waldohreule ; Ital. Gufo comune ; Swed. Hornuggla.
Above, feathers freckled brown and white, centres dark brown and bases pale rufous ; some wing coverts with large white spots on outer webs ; quills rufous above, greyish white beneath and barred with brown, at bases creamy white unbarred ; ear tufts about 35 m.m. long, dark brown, rufous on outer, white on inner margins ; facial disc brownish buff ; beneath white mixed with rufous and with red brown central streaks, under wing coverts white or pale rufous with broad brown tips forming a large dark patch ; tail beneath with 6 to 7 narrow bars. Bill dark horn. Toes thinly feathered, claws dark horn. Iris yellow. Wing 282-30o. Tarsus 35-43. Bill 22-24.
Resident.—British Isles ; Continental Europe to near Arctic Circle from Norway to Russia, in Urals to 57%59, Caucasus ; east across Siberia to Pacific ; W. Asia to Palestine ; N. Tunisia, N. Algeria (very rare), N. Morocco and Azores. Rare visitor to Egypt, Corsica, Sardinia, Malta.
A. otus canariensis Madarasz. Darker, less rufous, also smaller. Wing 263-275 (H.).
Resident.—Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Palma (W. Canary Islands).
Asio flammeus flammeus Pontoppidan. SHORT-EARED OWL. Fr. Chouette de marais ; Ger. Sumpfohreule ; Ital. Gufo di padule ; Swed. Gorduggla.
? Above brown with broad rufous margins but no bars ; ear tufts very short ; quills rufous with dark brown bars ; beneath white or reddish buff streaked black (broadly on chest) ; disc white encircled by a frill of rufous and black feathers ; quills beneath creamy on basal portion ; apical portions of lower series of under wing coverts dark brown forming a large wing patch ; tail beneath with only 2 to 3 bars, 5-12 m.m. broad. Bill blackish.
Toes thickly feathered, claws blackish. Iris bright yellow. Wing 3oo-330, ? 290-320. Tarsus 35-44. Bill 14-16.
breeds. England and Scotland ; Continental Europe north to about Arctic Circle, south to Pyrenees, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, S. Russia ; also across Siberia. Migrates ; occurs Fames on passage ; winters in British Isles and sometimes C. Europe, but chiefly Mediterranean countries and N. Africa. Rare visitor to Iceland, Madeira, Azores, Canaries.
A. tlammeus leuoopsis (Brehm). A paler race, in which rufous is in many specimens replaced by white to a large extent. A Siberian race, whose range extends to Orenburg, E. Russia.
Asio capensis tingitanus (Locke).
e Dull brown, not streaked but vcrmiculated with rufous ; wings and tail barred with rufous ; disc brownish grey with a broad black ring round eye ; abdomen barred with white ; tarsi feathered pale buff ; toes scantily feathered ; car tufts very short. Bill and feet blackish. Iris dark brown with orange inner ring. Wing 280-300 (H.).
Breeds.—N. and C. Morocco, N. Algeria. Apparently resident. Of occasional occurrence S. Spain in autumn.
The typical race "A. c. capensis" is S. African.