Editing Strigidae (section)

==Systematics==
[[File:Pulsatrix perspicillata.jpg|thumb|[[Spectacled owl]] (''Pulsatrix perspicillata'')]]
The [[Family (biology)|family]] Strigidae was introduced by the English zoologist [[William Elford Leach]] in a guide to the contents of the [[British Museum]] published in 1819.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Leach | first=William Elford | author-link=William Elford Leach  | year=1819 | chapter=Eleventh Room | title=Synopsis of the Contents of the British Museum | location=London | publisher=British Museum | edition=15th | pages=63–68 [64] | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSlhAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA67 }} Although the name of the author is not specified in the document, Leach was the Keeper of Zoology at the time.</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Bock | first=Walter J. | author-link=Walter Joseph Bock | year=1994 | title=History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names | series=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History | volume= 222 | publisher=American Museum of Natural History | location=New York | pages=142, 245 | hdl=2246/830 | url=http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/830 }}<!--Linked page allows download of the 48MB pdf--><!-- Bock cites the 17th edition from 1820 but the name was included in the 15th edition published in 1819--></ref>

A [[molecular phylogenetic]] study of the owls by Jessie Salter and collaborators published in 2020 found that the family Strigidae was divided into two [[sister taxon|sister]] clades and some of the traditional genera were [[paraphyletic]]. The placement of three monotypic genera remained uncertain due to the degraded nature of the available DNA.<ref name=salter>{{Cite journal | last1=Salter | first1=J.F. | last2=Oliveros | first2=C.H. | last3=Hosner | first3=P.A. | last4=Manthey | first4=J.D. | last5=Robbins | first5=M.B. | last6=Moyle | first6=R.G. | last7=Brumfield | first7=R.T. | last8=Faircloth | first8=B.C. | date=2020 | title=Extensive paraphyly in the typical owl family (Strigidae) | journal=The Auk | volume=137 | issue=ukz070 | doi=10.1093/auk/ukz070| doi-access=free | hdl=2346/93048 | hdl-access=free }}</ref> Based on these results [[Frank Gill (ornithologist)|Frank Gill]], [[Pamela Rasmussen]] and David Donsker updated the online list of world birds that they maintain on behalf of the [[International Ornithological Committee]] (IOC).<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=January 2023 | title=Owls | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/owls/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=31 January 2022 }}</ref>

The [[cladogram]] below is based on the results of the study by Salter and collaborators published in 2020.<ref name=salter/> The subfamilies are those defined by [[Edward C. Dickinson|Edward Dickinson]] and [[James Van Remsen, Jr.|James Van Remsen Jr.]] in 2013.<ref>{{ cite book | editor-last1=Dickinson | editor-first1=E.C. | editor1-link=Edward C. Dickinson | editor-last2=Remsen | editor-first2=J.V. Jr. | editor2-link=James Van Remsen, Jr. | year=2013 | title=The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World | volume= 1: Non-passerines | edition=4th | place=Eastbourne, UK | publisher=Aves Press | isbn=978-0-9568611-0-8 | pages=258–277 }}</ref> A genetic study published in 2021 suggested that the genus ''Scotopelia'' may be embedded within ''Ketupa''.<ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Wink | first1=Michael | last2=Sauer-Gürth | first2=Heidi | date=2021 | title=Molecular taxonomy and systematics of owls (Strigiformes) - An update | journal=Airo | volume=29 | pages=487–500 | url=https://www.airo-spea.com/_files/ugd/8fea7e_6357cc4f0f3c481caf86b62c97cac1e0.pdf }}</ref>
[[File:Bubo blakistoni.jpg|thumb|[[Blakiston's fish owl]] (''Ketupa blakistoni'') the largest species of owl.]]
[[File:Tawnyowl03.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Tawny owl]] (''Strix aluco'')]]{{Clade| style=font-size:90%;line-height:90%
|label1=Strigidae
|1={{clade
   |1={{clade
      |1={{clade
         |label1=Ieraglaucinae
         |1={{clade
            |1=''[[Ninox]]'' – 36 species: hawk-owls and boobooks
            |2=''[[Uroglaux]]'' – Papuan hawk-owl (position uncertain)
            }}
         |label2=Surniinae
         |2={{clade
            |1={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''[[Aegolius]]'' – 5 species
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''[[Athene (bird)|Athene]]'' – 9 species
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Glaucidium (bird)|Glaucidium]]'' – 29 species: pygmy owls
                        |2=''[[Surnia]]'' – northern hawk-owl
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1=''[[Margarobyas]]'' – bare-legged owl (position uncertain)
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''[[Taenioptynx]]'' – 2 species
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Micrathene]]'' – elf owl
                        |2=''[[Xenoglaux]]'' – long-whiskered owlet
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               }}
            }}
         }}
|label2=Striginae      
      |2={{clade
         |1=''[[Otus (bird)|Otus]]'' – 58 species: scops owls
         |2={{clade
            |1={{clade
               |1=''[[Asio]]'' – 9 species in total
               |2=''[[Ptilopsis]]'' – 2 species
               }}
            |2={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''[[Jubula (bird)|Jubula]]'' – maned owl (position uncertain)
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''[[Bubo (bird)|Bubo]]'' – 10 species: eagle-owls, horned-owls and snowy owl
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Ketupa]]'' – 12 species: fish owls and eagle-owls
                        |2=''[[Scotopelia]]'' – 3 species: fishing owls
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1={{clade
                     |1={{clade
                        |1=''[[Megascops]]'' – 25 species: screech owls
                        |2={{clade
                           |1=''[[Gymnasio]]'' – Puerto Rican owl
                           |2=''[[Psiloscops]]'' – flammulated owl
                           }}
                        }}
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Strix (bird)|Strix]]'' – 22 species: earless owls
                        |2={{clade
                           |1=''[[Lophostrix]]'' – crested owl
                           |2=''[[Pulsatrix]]'' – 3 species
                           }}
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               }}
            }}
         }}
      }}
   }}
}}

The 235 extant or recently extinct [[species]] are assigned to 23 [[genera]]:<ref name=ioc/>
[[File:Forest_Owlet_Athene_blewitti_by_Ashahar_alias_Krishna_Khan.jpeg|thumb|upright|The [[forest owlet]] (''Athene blewiti''), one of the [[critically endangered]] owls found in the Central Indian Forest]]

* Genus ''[[Uroglaux]]'' – Papuan hawk-owl
* Genus ''[[Ninox]]'' – Australasian hawk-owls, 37 species of which one is recently extinct
* Genus ''[[Margarobyas]]'' – bare-legged owl or Cuban screech-owl
* Genus ''[[Taenioptynx]]'' – two species previous placed in ''Glaucidium''
* Genus ''[[Micrathene]]'' – elf owl
* Genus ''[[Xenoglaux]]'' – long-whiskered owlet
* Genus ''[[Aegolius]]'' – saw-whet owls, five species of which one is recently extinct
* Genus ''[[Athene (bird)|Athene]]'' –  nine species
* Genus ''[[Surnia]]'' – northern hawk-owl
* Genus ''[[Glaucidium (bird)|Glaucidium]]'' – pygmy owls, 29 species
* Genus ''[[Otus (bird)|Otus]]'' – scops owls, 58 species including three extinct species formerly placed in ''Mascarenotus'' 
* Genus ''[[Ptilopsis]]'' – white-faced owls, two species
* Genus ''[[Asio]]'' – eared owls, nine species
* Genus ''[[Jubula (bird)|Jubula]]'' – maned owl
* Genus ''[[Bubo (bird)|Bubo]]'' – eagle-owls, horned-owls and snowy owl, 10 species
* Genus ''[[Scotopelia]]'' – fishing owls, three species
* Genus ''[[Ketupa]]'' – fish owls and eagle-owls, 12 species (including 9 species previously placed in ''Bubo'')
* Genus ''[[Psiloscops]]'' – flammulated owl
* Genus ''[[Gymnasio]]'' – Puerto Rican owl
* Genus ''[[Megascops]]'' – screech-owls, 25 species
* Genus ''[[Pulsatrix]]'' – spectacled owls, three species
* Genus ''[[Lophostrix]]'' – crested owl
* Genus ''[[Strix (bird)|Strix]]'' – earless owls, 22 species, including four previously placed in ''Ciccaba''
[[File:Coruja-de-crista (Lophostrix cristata).jpg|thumb|[[Crested owl]] (''Lophostrix cristata'')]]

===[[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|Late Quaternary prehistoric extinctions]]===
* Genus ''[[Grallistrix]]'' – stilt-owls, four species
**[[Kaua‘i stilt-owl]], ''Grallistrix auceps''
**[[Maui stilt-owl]], ''Grallistrix erdmani''
**[[Moloka‘i stilt-owl]], ''Grallistrix geleches''
**[[O‘ahu stilt-owl]], ''Grallistrix orion''
* Genus ''[[Ornimegalonyx]]'' – Caribbean giant owls, one or two species
**[[Cuban giant owl]], ''Ornimegalonyx oteroi''
**''Ornimegalonyx'' sp. – probably subspecies of ''O. oteroi''
* Genus ''[[Asphaltoglaux]]''
** [[Asphalt miniature owl]], ''Asphaltoglaux cecileae''
*Genus ''[[Oraristrix]]''
**[[Oraristrix|La Brea owl]], ''Oraristrix brea''
[[File:Ornimegalonyx oteroi.jpg|thumb|The extinct [[Ornimegalonyx|Cuban giant owl]] (†''Ornimegalonyx oteroi'')]]

===[[Fossil]] record===
* ''[[Mioglaux]]'' (Late Oligocene? – Early Miocene of WC Europe) – includes ''"Bubo" poirreiri''<!-- RevPaleóbiol5:197 -->
* ''[[Intulula]]'' (Early/Middle Miocene of WC Europe) – includes ''"Strix/Ninox" brevis''<!-- PaleontogrItal89:3; Olson 1985:131 -->
* ''[[Yarquen]]'' (Middle Miocene of Argentina)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tambussi |first1=Claudia P. |last2=Degrange |first2=Federico J. |last3=González Ruiz |first3=Laureano |date=2023-03-06 |title=An extinct owl (aves: strigidae) from the middle miocene of Patagonia |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2023.2180738 |journal=Historical Biology |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=644–649 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2023.2180738 |s2cid=257392373 |issn=0891-2963}}</ref>
* ''[[Alasio]]'' (Middle Miocene of Vieux-Collonges, France) – includes ''"Strix" collongensis''<!-- Olson1985:131 -->

The fossil database for Strigiformes is highly diverse and shows an origin from ~60MYA into the Pleistocene. The maximum age range for the Strigiformes clade extends to 68.6MYA.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kurochkin |first1=E.N. |last2=Dyke |first2=G.J. |title=The first fossil owls (Aves: Strigiformes) from the Paleogene of Asia and a review of the fossil record of Strigiformes |journal=Paleontological Journal |date=2011 |volume=4 |issue=45 |pages=445–458 |doi=10.1134/s003103011104006x|bibcode=2011PalJ...45..445K |s2cid=84397725 }}</ref>

'''Placement unresolved:'''
*''"Otus/Strix" wintershofensis'' – [[fossil]] (Early/Middle Miocene of Wintershof West, Germany) – may be close to extant genus ''Ninox''<ref>Olson, p. 131</ref>
* ''"Strix" edwardsi'' – [[fossil]] (Middle Miocene of Grive-Saint-Alban, France)
* ''"Asio" pygmaeus'' – [[fossil]] (Early Pliocene of [[Odesa]], Ukraine)
* Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. UMMP V31030 (Rexroad Late Pliocene of Kansas, USA) – ''Strix''/''Bubo''?<ref name=Feduccia/>
*[[Ibiza owl]], Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. – [[Late Quaternary prehistoric birds|prehistoric]] (Late Pleistocene/Holocene of Es Pouàs, Ibiza)<ref name=Marco/>

The supposed fossil [[heron]] ''"Ardea" lignitum'' (Late Pliocene of Germany) was apparently a strigid owl, possibly close to ''Bubo''.<ref>Olson, p. 167</ref> The Early–Middle [[Eocene]] genus ''[[Palaeoglaux]]'' from west-central Europe is sometimes placed here, but given its age, it is probably better considered its own family for the time being.