Strix fulvescens
Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The fulvous owl (Strix fulvescens), or Guatemala barred owl, is a resident of the cloud forests of Central America. A medium-sized true owl, it has a round head, lacking ear tufts. Its typical coloration is warm dark brown or reddish brown on the back and lighter brown on the front with darker barring. Adults weigh approximately 600 grams (21 oz), with females being heavier. Its distribution is limited to highland regions of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. It inhabits elevations from 1,200 to 3,100 meters (3,900 to 10,200 ft), and is fairly common within its range. Its behavior is poorly known, as are its population size and distribution. It is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although it is considered endangered in Mexico.
The fulvous owl is a monotypic species in the genus Strix. It is a member of the true owl family, Strigidae. It was formally described in 1868, as Syrnium fulvescens. The type specimen came from Guatemala. In 1970 it was classified as a subspecies of the barred owl (Strix varia), but it is generally recognized as a separate species today, although some researchers... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Triunfo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Celaque National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Fulvous Owl sighting in Celaque National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 170th most-seen of the 193 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Fulvous Owl in Celaque National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–April and June–December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Fulvous Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Fulvous Owl sightings, Celaque National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in El Triunfo (Mexico, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Fulvous Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Celaque National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
