Typical Owls (Strigidae)

Jamaican Owl (Pseudoscops grammicus) - HBW 5, p. 239

French: Hibou de la Jamaïque German: Jamaikaeule Spanish: Búho Jamaicano
Other common names: Brown Owl(!)

Taxonomy: Ephialtes grammicus Gosse, 1847, Tait-Shafton, Jamaica.
Formerly merged with Asio; later suggested that closely related to Asio clamator and Asio stygius and that all three be placed together in Pseudoscops; more recent DNA studies, however, seem to confirm that present species better treated in monotypic genus (see page 86). Genus believed to be possibly closest to Asio, with similar contact calls, but often considered particularly close to Otus, while some authorities think that it is linked with Athene and Aegolius. Monotypic.

Distribution: Jamaica.