Athene

Athene
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Order	Strigiformes
Family Information
Family	Strigidae
Sub-family	Striginae
Genus Information
Genus	Athene
Population statistics

Athene is a genus of small owls of the family Strigidae, and consists of four living species. They are mostly active at night, hunting and eating primarily insects. Their primary habitats are steppes and grasslands to semi-deserts and deserts. The only species found in the New World is the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) which, according to morphology and behavior, is the most specialized of the four species.

All birds of this genus bear a round, somewhat flattened head and no ear tufts. Coloration is generally brown and white, with yellow eyes and white "eyebrows". The different species inhabit all continents with the exception of Australia, Antarctica and sub-Saharan Africa.

Species

• Burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia
• Forest owlet, Athene blewitti
• Little owl, Athene noctua
• Spotted owlet, Athene brama