Pernambuco pygmy owl
| Pernambuco pygmy owl | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Glaucidium |
| Species: | G. mooreorum |
| Binomial name | |
| Glaucidium mooreorum da Silva, Coelho & Pedreira, 2002[2] | |
The Pernambuco pygmy owl (Glaucidium mooreorum) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. This recently described species is endemic to Pernambuco in Brazil. It has been argued that it actually should be referred to as G. minutissimum (a name typically used for the East Brazilian pygmy owl), but this has not gained widespread recognition.[3]
This owl is classified as critically endangered by BirdLife International. It is assumed to have a tiny and declining population within an extremely small known range. The population is estimated at less than fifty adult birds. The Pernambuco pygmy owl was first described in December 2002 when two study skins were examined in Pernambuco, Brazil. The skins were originally collected in 1980 and thought to be subspecies of the least pygmy owl (Glaucidium minutissimum) or Amazonian pygmy owl (Glaucidium hardyi). Upon closer examination of the skins, and vocalisations of the birds also obtained in 1980, it was concluded that this was a new species.
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Glaucidium mooreorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Cardoso da Silva, José Maria; Coelho, Pedreira (December 2002). "Discovered on the brink of extinction: a new species of Pygmy-owl (Strigidae: Glaucidium) from Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil" (PDF). Ararajuba. 10 (2): 123–130. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ↑ South American Classification Committee (2008). Change the name of Least Pygmy-Owl to Glaucidium sicki. Accessed 21-11-2008.