THE MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentalis lucida)

Abstract

The Mexican spotted owl (SO) (Strix occidentalis lucida) is one of the three subspecies of spotted owl distributed in the United States of America (USA) and México; its plumage and geographic distribution distinguish it from S. occidentalis caurina and S. occidentalis occidentalis. Although S. occidentalis lucida is a bioindicator of the health of forest ecosystems, it is in the category of endangered in México and USA. The SO lives mainly in conifer and deciduous forests of cold and temperate climates, it is a subspecies of nocturnal habits, its vocalizations include 12 notes, and it feeds primarily on rodents, birds and insects. This study presents a basic description of the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida).