Hoaxers are at it again, filling the internet with silly photos of red owls. But does that mean this creature doesn’t exist? Joins us as CryptoVille investigates!
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this image of a “Red Owl” on Facebook. It looks like something out of a Pixar cartoon! It looks like an artist may have signed it, so maybe it’s artwork from some game or something.
Artist Update: Yggdrassal contacted me to say he/she had drawn the image above right 2.5 years ago, creating a combination of an owl and a cardinal. They didn’t mean it to be a hoax. As things go on the internet – a lot of people thought it was a real creature. Here’s a link to more of his/her artwork:
https://www.deviantart.com/yggdrassal/art/Cardnowl-713000398
Anyway, the other picture, an owl turned into a strawberry, is downright ridiculous. I guess some people have a lot of time on their hands.
But of course, that got me wondering, is there such a thing as a red owl? Can you believe this – there is!
Let me introduce you to Madagascar’s red owl, Tyto soumagnei.
First seen by Western scientists in 1876, it subsequently dropped out of sight to the point where the scientific community thought it had finally died out. Then in 1993, researchers from the World-Wide Fund for Nature re-discovered it. Due to habitat loss, it’s still considered vulnerable to extinction, but for now it’s holding its own and seems to be expanding its range.
Quick Facts:
- T. soumagnei is part of the barn owl family, Tytonidae
- Small in stature, they measure between 10 and 12 inches long (27 – 30 cm)
- Wing length 8-10 inches (210-230 mm)
- Weigh around 11-15 oz (323-435g)
- Feathers are actually orange with little black spots
- Feeds on small mammals native to Madagascar like tenrecs and rats.
- Nests in tree cavities and cliffs well covered with vegetation
Are you wondering what a tenrec is?
The red owl likes to live on the East side of Madagascar where there are humid evergreen forests as well as dry deciduous forests.
The country has featured their beautiful owl on at least one of its stamps:
It certainly is a beautiful bird, isn’t it? If you’d like to read another tale, this time about a blue owl, see the link to my article in the reference section below. There’s also another article there about a hoaxed song bird.
If you haven’t already, stop by our CryptoVille page on Facebook and see the silliness we get up to there! Like our page so you don’t miss any updates.
See you next time!
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_owl
https://www.owlpages.com/owls/species.php?s=100
https://visitcryptoville.com/2016/01/19/the-blue-owl-of-the-philippines-19-31/
Researchers from WWF did not rediscovered the Madagascar Red Owl. They were from the World Center for Birds of Prey (aka The Peregrine Fund), specifically Thorstrom, Russel & de Roland, Lily Arison Rene.
Hi Benjamin,
I see their names on the reference list in one of the articles I referenced for the blog post. In fact, they’re listed twice, one article dating to 1997 (which is after the WWF citation that stated their discovery in 1993). The first article this group is referenced in doesn’t include a date so that might pre-date 1993. The date should be included in that citation.
Also, Wiki refers to the WWF and 1993 date. Not saying Wiki is never wrong, but there does seem to be some confusion. Nonetheless, I don’t want to leave anyone out, so we’ll let it stand that Thorstrom, Russel & de Roland, Lily Arison Rene rediscovered the owl first.
Thank you for visiting CryptoVille! … Susan (CryptoVille)
Your article about a Russian Yeti or “big foot” was interesting. It makes sense that the USA’s “big foot” species probably came from Siberia during the Pleistocene Epoch.
The Red Owl story reminds me of the rediscovery of the supposedly extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker in the hills of eastern Cuba, about forty years ago.
The South American, giant river otter was a cryptid until near the end of the Twentieth Century. Now we know that it is a real animal. It is time for scientists to take a real interest in the yeti/big foot/Fouke monster/skunk ape. A sedative dart from a rifle should enable scientists to capture and study one of these creatures. Big Foot is apparently fairly common in some parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Ozarks and the Appalachian Mountains. There are plenty of good photographs of these creatures and the beasts are even heard howling at night occasionally. Let’s stop pretending that they don’t exist. Emmett M. Smith, author of “The Shadow of Olympus,” a Mars colony novel.
Hi Emmett! I like the idea of using a sedative dart to bring down a Bigfoot. I guess the trouble is they are just so elusive and can move so quickly, it makes any form of entrapment super hard.
But like you, I live in hope that one day the scientists will wake up and realize there’s another as yet “undiscovered” ape roaming the wilderness in the US and beyond. I have seen and heard some scientists say they believe there could be a large bipedal ape roaming the forests, but we don’t have enough evidence to prove it yet. I think some of them are starting to come on board, but as with all things, it will just take some time.
Thank you for visiting CryptoVille! And best of luck with your novel! … Susan (Curator of CryptoVille)
The cardinal/owl hybrid in the first image is actually my artwork from 2.5 years ago. It is not a hoax at all and literally just a fusion of the 2 birds. I would appreciate credit for using my image, but I get that this is the internet so a lot of people don’t care about that. Here’s the link to the actual image: https://www.deviantart.com/yggdrassal/art/Cardnowl-713000398
Thank you for the update, Yggdrassal! I have noted your update in the body of the article and included a link to your site over on DeviantArt.
… Susan (CryptoVille)
I knew nothing about the history behind this Beautiful image of the “Cardinal/Owl “. My Grandmother taught me a little about her love of Birds, and the Owl species all together. I think she would have loved this! Thank you for setting everyone straight about the “real or imagined ” status!
You’re so welcome, Allison! I enjoy sharing these cute (and in some other cases, crazy) things with my readers.
Thank you for visiting CryptoVille! … Susan (CryptoVille)
i have fair large farm in southeast mo and we have a red owl living in tree and when we went by with tractor he got really close from nest and acted like he was not afraid and acted really mad….his eyebrows looked like frowning was really weird to see him
Hi Randy! Does it look like the Eastern Screech Owl about half way down the page of this Univ. of MO link? It’s a definite reddish brown, that’s for sure!
https://sites.wustl.edu/monh/owls-of-missouri/
Thank you for visiting CryptoVille! … Susan (Curator of CryptoVille)
he was light with red with light white at the end of his feathers with black eyebrows 45 degree angel and looked very mad.wasn’t afraid at all of me or the tractor..hhe was around 10 inch tall was kinda was skinny .he was seen around the end of november of last year….pretty neat to see on farm .