Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T22:32:28.380Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Osteological Identification of Long-Eared and Short-Eared Owls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Steven D. Emslie*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ 86011

Abstract

The long-eared owl (Asio otus) and short-eared owl (A. flammeus) are indistinguishable by bone morphology alone. Since they inhabit contrasting ecological situations, identification of their bones from prehistoric sites is important for paleoenvironmental interpretations. Measurements on long bones of modern specimens indicate these species can be identified by bone size. Tables are presented for use by the analyst in identifying complete or fragmentary wing and leg bones.

Type
Reports
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Cited

American Ornithologists’ Union 1957 Check-list of North American birds. Lord Baltimore Press, Baltimore.Google Scholar
Bent, Arthur C. 1938 Life histories of North American birds of prey (Part 2). U.S. National Museum Bulletin 170. Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Hubbard, John P. 1978 Revised check-list to the birds of New Mexico. New Mexico Ornithological Society Publications No. 6. Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Phillips, Allan, Joe, Marshall, and Gale, Monson 1964 The birds of Arizona. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
von den Driesch, Angela 1976 A guide to the measurement of animal bones from archaeological sites. Peabody Museum Bulletin No. 1. Peabody Museum, Cambridge, Mass.Google Scholar