A charismatic forest owl of southern South America, the Rufous-legged Owl inhabits lowland and mid-elevation temperate forests from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. It’s typically associated with mature Nothofagus (southern beech) and mixed evergreen forests, though it can occur in disturbed woodland as well. Mostly nocturnal and often detected by voice, it gives a variety of hoots, grunts, and cackling notes.
Conservation note
Globally listed as Least Concern, but local declines are possible where old-growth temperate forest is logged or fragmented. Studies suggest higher densities in mature forest compared with secondary growth, indicating a strong link to intact woodland structure. It occurs in multiple protected areas across its range, yet continued habitat loss and fragmentation remain key long-term concerns.
