Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi

The Long-whiskered Owl stunned scientists when it was discovered by a team from Louisiana State University in 1976. This bizarre, tiny owl is unlike any other known species, with extremely long facial "whiskers", stubby wings, and a short tail. Until recently, this species was known only from specimens obtained from mist nets, and there is still very little information on its behavior and ecology. It may be nearly flightless, and is very difficult to locate in its dense cloud forest habitat. It is known only from a few sites in the area of Abra Patricia in northern Peru, and habitat degradation threatens its survival. It is probably most likely to be detected at night by its repeated descending hoot.