page_title: Athene (bird)
section_title: Extinct species
hierarchical_section_title: Athene (bird) / Extinct species
caption_attribution_description: English: My reconstruction of one species of Cretan Pygmy Deer, Candiacervus ropalophorus, shown here with the giant Cretan Little Owl, Athene cretensis. (C) Stanton F. Fink
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: A number of mainly island representatives of this genus are only known from fossil or subfossil remains:
  Athene megalopeza (fossil; Rexroad Late Pliocene of WC USA) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Athene veta (fossil; Early Pleistocene of Rebielice, Poland)
  Athene angelis (fossil; Middle - Late Pleistocene of Castiglione, Corsica)
  Athene trinacriae (Pleistocene)
  Athene cf. cunicularia (fossil; Pleistocene of Barbuda, West Indies) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Athene cf. cunicularia (fossil; Pleistocene of Cayman Islands, West Indies) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Athene cf. cunicularia (fossil; Pleistocene of Jamaica, West Indies) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Athene cf. cunicularia (fossil; Pleistocene of Mona Island, West Indies) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Athene cf. cunicularia (fossil; Pleistocene of Puerto Rico, West Indies) - sometimes placed in Speotyto
  Cretan owl, Athene cretensis (prehistoric; Crete, Mediterranean)
  The Cretan owl was a flightless or near-flightless form that was more than 50 cm (almost 2 ft) tall. It went extinct soon after the island of Crete became inhabited by humans.
  Late Miocene (about 11 mya) fossil remains from Rudabánya (NE Hungary) 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.
  Antiguan burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia amaura - extinct (c.1905)
  Guadeloupe burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia guadeloupensis - extinct (c.1890)
caption: Cretan owl with Candiacervus ropalophorus
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