About Strix hylophila Temminck, 1825
The rusty-barred owl (Strix hylophila Temminck, 1825) measures approximately 35 cm (14 in) in total length. Males of the species weigh between 250 and 340 g (8.8 to 12 oz), while females weigh 275 to 395 g (9.7 to 14 oz). This owl has light rusty brown facial discs marked with concentric darker brown rings, plus small white 'eyebrow' markings. The upperparts of adult birds feature barring in white, brown, and orange-buff shades. The chest and flanks are orangish buff, and the belly is a paler, whiter shade; both the upper underparts and the belly are covered in dark brown bars. The legs of the rusty-barred owl are fully feathered. Its eyes are dark brown, the bill is a yellowish horn color, and the toes are yellowish gray. Juvenile owls are overall buff with faint darker barring across the body.
The rusty-barred owl is distributed across southeastern Brazil, ranging from Minas Gerais south to Rio Grande do Sul, as well as in southeastern Paraguay and the extreme northeastern Misiones Province of Argentina. It lives in both the interior and edges of a wide range of wooded habitats, including montane forest, tropical evergreen forest, temperate forest, secondary forest, and pine plantations. It can occur in areas close to human habitation. Its elevational range extends from sea level up to at least 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
