Strix

Strix is a genus of owls in the family Strigidae, within the order Strigiformes. It includes several species commonly referred to as wood owls or true owls. The genus is distributed across temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, and North America. Members of Strix are generally medium to large owls that roost in trees by day and hunt at night, using acute hearing and silent flight to capture prey.

Characteristic features of Strix owls include rounded heads with prominent facial discs that help funnel sound to the ears, and plumage patterns that provide camouflage in wooded habitats. They are primarily nocturnal predators that feed on small mammals, birds, and, in some species, large insects. Strix owls typically nest in tree cavities or abandoned nests, laying several eggs and often sharing incubation duties between parents depending on the species.

Notable species within the genus include the tawny owl (Strix aluco) of Europe and western Asia; the Ural owl (Strix uralensis); the great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) of boreal forests; the barred owl (Strix varia) of eastern North America; and the spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) of western North America, which comprises subspecies such as S. o. caurina and S. o. occidentalis.

Taxonomically, Strix has undergone revisions as owl classifications have evolved. Ecologically, several Strix species face conservation pressures from habitat loss and competition or displacement by other owl species in overlapping ranges, notably the interactions between the Spotted Owl and Barred Owl in parts of North America.