Athene (bird)


Athene is a genus of owls, containing two to five living species, depending on classification. These birds are small, with brown and white speckles, yellow eyes, and white eyebrows. This genus is found on all continents except for Australia, Antarctica, and Subsaharan Africa.
The genus name, Athene is from the little owl, Athene noctua which was closely associated with the Greek goddess Athena, and often depicted with her. Her original role as a goddess of the night might explain the link to an owl.

Living species

Extinct species

A number of mainly island representatives of this genus are only known from fossil or subfossil remains:
with Candiacervus ropalophorus
The Cretan owl was a flightless or near-flightless form that was more than 50 cm tall. It went extinct soon after the island of Crete became inhabited by humans.
Late Miocene fossil remains from Rudabánya have been tentatively assigned to this genus. Considering the known fossil range of Athene and the misassignments of many Miocene strigids from Europe, it may be a basal member of the present genus or not belong here. The supposed species "Athene" murivora is the name given to subfossil bones of male Rodrigues owls.