Lophostrix cristata
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The crested owl (Lophostrix cristata) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species (monotypic) in the genus Lophostrix. It is a resident bird and occurs in Central America and northern South America. It is a medium-sized owl, easily recognizable with its very long whitish ear tufts and otherwise darker appearance. It inhabits lowland rainforests and prefers old growth in proximity with water. The crested owl is a strictly nocturnal species, but very little is known about its behaviour.
The genus of the crested owl is in the family Strigidae as well as the subfamily Striginae and is traditionally recognized as a part of the tribe Strigini along with Strix, Jubula and Pulsatrix. However, recent analysis suggest that Lophostrix could form its own tribe, Pulsatrigini, with Pulsatrix.
There are three recognized subspecies: Lophostrix cristata cristata (Daudin, 1800) Lophostrix cristata wedeli (Griscom, 1932) Lophostrix cristata stricklandi (Sclater & Salvin, 1859) It has been suggested that Lophostrix cristata stricklandi could be specifically distinct from Lophostrix cristata on the basis that it has a grey morph, a shorter song and strictly yellow... Wikipedia →
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Complejo Turistico de Quistococha | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Owl sighting in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 212th most-seen of the 328 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.
March and September–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Owl in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in April–August and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Crested Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
10th of 25
Of the 25 parks where we can rate Crested Owl sightings, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve ranks 10th at under 5%. The best odds are in Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%), Darién National Park (Panama, about 10%) and Yasuní National Park (Ecuador, about 10%).
Same family: Strigidae
The closest relatives of the Crested Owl that you can see in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (family Strigidae, Typical Owls) are Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (about 10%), Tropical Screech-Owl (about 10%) and Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Crested Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (16 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.
