A White Faced Owl in a private collection. But is a Northern or a Southern White Faced Owl? What are the distinguishing features that make it one or the other?
A White Faced Owl in a private collection. But is it a Northern or a Southern White Faced Owl? What are the distinguishing features that make it one or the other?
The Northern White-faced Owl is generally paler than the Southern, but the other main difference (besides eye-colour) is in their vocalizations: the call of the Southern is described as "a series of fast, bubbling hoots". The Northern has a very different, two-note call.
(Which is of zero help when identifying birds from photographs )