Systematics
The nearly 200 extant species are assigned to a number of genera, which are in taxonomic order:
- Genus Megascops: screech-owls, some 20 species
- Genus Otus: scops-owls; probably paraphyletic, about 45 species
- Genus Pyrroglaux - Palau Owl
- Genus Gymnoglaux - Bare-legged Owl or Cuban Screech-owl
- Genus Ptilopsis - white-faced owls, 2 species
- Genus Mimizuku - Giant Scops-owl or Mindanao Eagle-owl
- Genus Bubo - horned owls, eagle-owls and fish-owls; paraphyletic with Nyctea, Ketupa and Scotopelia, some 25 species
- Genus Strix - earless owls, some 15 species
- Genus Ciccaba - 4 species
- Genus Lophostrix - Crested Owl
- Genus Jubula - Maned Owl
- Genus Pulsatrix - spectacled owls, 3 species
- Genus Surnia - Northern Hawk-Owl
- Genus Glaucidium - pygmy owls, about 30-35 species
- Genus Xenoglaux - Long-whiskered Owlet
- Genus Micrathene - Elf Owl
- Genus Athene - 2-4 species (depending on whether Speotyto and Heteroglaux are included or not)
- Genus Aegolius - saw-whet owls, 4 species
- Genus Ninox - Australasian hawk-owls, some 20 species
- Genus Uroglaux - Papuan Hawk-owl
- Genus Pseudoscops - Jamaican Owl and possibly Striped Owl
- Genus Asio - eared owls, 6-7 species
- Genus Nesasio - Fearful Owl
Read more about this topic: True Owl