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Antigua Burrowing Owl
(Athene cunicularia amaura)

syn. Speotyto amaura, Speotyto cunicularia amaura

distribution:

Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua, Redonda
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Nevis, Saint Kitts

local name: -

size: (?)

extinction date: last seen in 1905 (?)

The Burrowing Owl is a small, terrestrial owl, which is very conspicuous because of its proportionally quite long legs.

The birds inhabit open, dry habitats with a rather sparse vegetation and breed in underground burrows, which are either adopted from other animals or dug by the birds themselves.

This species is found quite widespread in North-, Middle- and South America and has evolved a lot of subspecies, among them several on the Caribbean Islands.

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The disappearance of the Burrowing Owl from many of the Caribbean Islands was caused in some cases probably by climatical changes, in other cases human activities are clearly responsible. In the case of the Antigua Burrowing Owl the extinction was caused by the introduction of Indian Mongooses (Herpestes javanicus), which hunted the unsuspicious owls to exterminate them in the end completely.

Only five specimens are all that has been left of this subspecies until today.

Marie Galante Burrowing Owl
(Athene cunicularia guadeloupensis)

syn. Speotyto cunicularia guadeloupensis

distribution:

Guadeloupe: Guadeloupe (?), Marie Galante

local name: -

size: (?)

extinction date: last seen 1898

This subspecies is known with certainty only from the island Marie Galante, but may as well have lived on nearby Guadeloupe Island.

This form died out too after the introduction of Indian Mongooses (Herpestes javanicus) to the island.

Barbuda Burrowing Owl
(Athene cunicularia ssp.)

syn. -

distribution:

Antigua and Barbuda: Barbuda

local name: -