Typical Owls (Strigidae)
Pharaoh Eagle-owl (Bubo ascalaphus) - HBW 5, p. 187
French: Grand-duc du désert
German: Wüstenuhu
Spanish: Búho Desértico
Other common names: Desert/Savigny’s Eagle-owl
Taxonomy: Bubo Ascalaphus Savigny, 1809, Upper Egypt.
Forms superspecies with B. bubo and B. bengalensis, with B. virginianus (including recently separated B. magellanicus) and B. capensis sometimes considered part of same group. Formerly treated as conspecific with B. bubo; separation based mainly on vocalizations, and partly morphology, but DNA evidence not conclusive; also, appears to intergrade with B. bubo in parts of Middle East, suggesting that conspecificity perhaps possible; on other hand, some range overlap without known intermediates with B. bubo race hispanus in NW Africa.. View all taxonomy...
Forms superspecies with B. bubo and B. bengalensis, with B. virginianus (including recently separated B. magellanicus) and B. capensis sometimes considered part of same group. Formerly treated as conspecific with B. bubo; separation based mainly on vocalizations, and partly morphology, but DNA evidence not conclusive; also, appears to intergrade with B. bubo in parts of Middle East, suggesting that conspecificity perhaps possible; on other hand, some range overlap without known intermediates with B. bubo race hispanus in NW Africa, although latter now presumed extinct there; further study warranted. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- ascalaphus Savigny, 1809 - NW Africa and N Egypt E to W Iraq.
- desertorum Erlanger, 1897 - Sahara S to Mauretania and Niger, E to Ethiopia, Arabia and S Iraq.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird in a cliff. Locality Rissani, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp ascalaphus)
Dc.Owl 1 March 2010 3 years ago 36 sec 4 -
Standing on a small slope before sunset in Marakh valley. Locality Al Zilfi (Al Zulfi), Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia
mansorea 3 July 2012 44 weeks ago 49 sec 3.5 -
A bird resting in the hole of a rock Locality United Arab Emirates (ssp desertorum)
Eric Roualet 27 February 2008 5 years ago 13 sec 3.3 -
An adult bird with a chick into the nest. Locality Rissani, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp ascalaphus)
Dc.Owl 1 March 2010 3 years ago 36 sec 2.8 -
A bird perched in a cliff at sunset. Locality Rissani, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp ascalaphus)
Dc.Owl 22 December 2009 3 years ago 35 sec 2 -
A bird at night, standing on the desert ground, very far away, with a prey on its talons, then taking it with its beak and flyin Locality Erfoud, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp desertorum)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 5 years ago 34 sec 1.7 -
A bird at night, standing on the desert ground, very far away, calling in response to playback Locality Erfoud, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp desertorum)
Josep del Hoyo 3 April 2007 5 years ago 22 sec 1.5 -
calling (inaudible) bird on top of a big rock at dusk! Locality Sharjah Emirate, United Arab Emirates (ssp desertorum)
Martin Kennewell 7 November 2010 2 years ago 20 sec 1
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