Bubo magellanicus
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The lesser horned owl or Magellanic horned owl (Bubo magellanicus) is a large owl of the genus Bubo found in southern South America, extending north to the central Andes. It has traditionally been classified as a subspecies of the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), but is now treated as a separate species based on differences in voice and size and because of the genetic distance between the two.
It is about 45 cm (18 in) long with birds in the north of the range being largest. It has broad wings and a large head with two "ear" tufts. The plumage is mainly grey-brown but is quite variable in colour. The underparts are pale with narrow grey-brown bars and the breast has dark blotches. There is a black border to the facial disc and white stripes above the yellow eyes. The great horned owl is similar but larger with stronger feet and bill, broader bars on the underparts and longer ear-tufts.
The deep hooting call consists of a double-note followed by a loud, vibrating note. The bird's local name tucúquere is imitative of the call. The range extends from central Peru and western Bolivia southwards through Chile and western Argentina as far as Tierra del Fuego. The bird occurs in a variety of habitats including open forest, scrubland, farmland and grassland. It hunts over open country, mainly at night. Rodents make up most of the diet but other mammals, birds, reptiles and insects are also taken. The species nests on cliffs or between rocks. The two or three eggs are incubated by the female, who is fed by the male. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nahuel Huapi National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Torres del Paine National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoorasia | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 2 | Safari Madrid | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Bioparque Municipal Vesty Pakos | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 4 | Buin Zoo | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 5 | Zoologico Mundo Andino - Tipon | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 6 | Zoológico de Concepción | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 7 | Arequipa zoo | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Magellanic Horned Owl sighting in Torres del Paine National Park on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 86th most-seen of the 106 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Magellanic Horned Owl in Torres del Paine National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Magellanic Horned Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Magellanic Horned Owl sightings, Torres del Paine National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Nahuel Huapi National Park (Argentina, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Magellanic Horned Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Torres del Paine National Park (49 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.
