It lives in the mountains of northern Peru, hardly anyone has seen it – and there is apparently no confirmed photograph. Nevertheless, this owl could be a previously unknown species! Its name: Bubo jalca. Researchers described the owl as a new species in 2026. Its home lies in the high Andes around Huancabamba in Piura. But now a scientific dispute is beginning, because not all experts are convinced that Bubo jalca is actually a distinct species.
This owl gives itself away by its voice
The crazy thing is: anyone who sees Bubo jalca would likely hardly recognize what is supposed to be so special about it at first. Outwardly, it strongly resembles the already known owl Bubo nigrescens. Plumage and body size apparently do not provide any clear distinguishing features. But then it calls – and it was precisely this voice that put the researchers on its trail.
The scientists investigated the calls using modern bioacoustics. In doing so, they discovered differences in the structure, length, and emphasis of the vocalizations. For the researchers, this is an important indication that an independent population may have developed in the mountains of northern Peru over a long period of time.
The trail leads back more than 40 years
The story does not begin in 2026, but as early as 1980. At that time, a female owl was collected near Cruz Blanca southwest of Huancabamba. The location was at an altitude of around 3,050 meters. The specimen later ended up in the scientific collection of the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science – and became suddenly important again decades later.
Added to this were historical sound recordings by the ornithologist Theodore A. Parker. He had documented unusual calls from the owls. What hardly anyone suspected at the time: these old recordings would, decades later, become part of a scientific puzzle and play an important role in the description of a potentially new owl species.
Researchers return to Huancabamba
In March 2026, scientists returned to the region to search. They recorded more owl calls and compared them with the historical records. The result convinced the authors of the study: the unusual calls were apparently not a one-time coincidence.
From an old museum specimen, decades-old sound recordings, and new investigations, the description of Bubo jalca was finally created. With this, a potential new animal species may have been scientifically recognized more than four decades after the first known indications.
And where is the photo?
Now comes perhaps the most amazing part of the story. From an owl that was described as a new species in 2026, one would actually expect high-resolution photos today. But those are precisely what are missing. According to the authors, at the time of the scientific publication, no confirmed photographs of Bubo jalca were known.
This makes things particularly difficult for researchers. Sound recordings can provide important clues, but for comprehensive documentation, additional visual observations, clearly assigned photos, and further investigations would be extremely valuable. Of all things, a potentially new bird species of the year 2026 remains a small visual mystery.
Scientists are skeptical
And this is exactly where the dispute begins. The authors of the study consider Bubo jalca to be a distinct species. Other ornithologists are not yet convinced. The South American Classification Committee is currently addressing the question of whether Bubo jalca should be officially recognized as an independent species alongside Bubo nigrescens.
Ornithologist Dan Lane has expressed doubts about the evidence presented so far. One point of criticism is the small number of clearly documented animals. In some of the more recent sound recordings, the calling owl was also apparently not clearly seen at the same time. This raises the question of whether all recorded calls can actually be reliably attributed to Bubo jalca. The scientific case is therefore not yet closed.
The owl's home is in Piura
The location is particularly exciting for northern Peru. When people think of Piura, many first think of sun, dry landscapes, and the Pacific coast. But the department has a completely different face. Around Huancabamba, the Andes rise to several thousand meters. Here you find humid mountain landscapes, cloud forests, and the so-called Jalca.
It is precisely there that Bubo jalca is said to live. This highland landscape lies in the transition zone between páramo and puna and is home to numerous specialized plants and animals. The geographical conditions of the Andes can isolate populations from one another over a very long time. As a result, groups can develop independently – an important prerequisite for the emergence of new species.
But its habitat is under pressure
If Bubo jalca really only occurs in a small area of northern Peru, that could quickly become a problem. The original landscape is changing. Researchers mention, among other things, the spread of pine plantations, which can lead to the loss of natural grassland. Adjacent cloud forests are also under pressure due to changes in the landscape.
For widely distributed animal species, such interventions are already problematic. For a species with a very small range, however, they can be particularly severe. Protecting the Jalca would therefore be important not only for this owl, but for the entire extraordinary ecosystem of the northern Andes.
Now the researchers have to find it
With this, the most exciting part of the story is actually just beginning. Further expeditions could clarify what Bubo jalca actually is. Researchers need additional observations, clearly assigned sound recordings, and, above all, good photographic documentation. Genetic studies could also help to determine its relationship with other owls more precisely.
Then it could be decided whether northern Peru actually possesses its own owl species or whether Bubo jalca will ultimately be classified as an already known species. Until then, a remarkable story remains: In the mountains of Piura lives an owl whose voice put scientists on a new trail after more than 40 years. And somewhere in the Jalca of Huancabamba, one of these animals might be sitting right now – one would just have to find it.
López-Lanús, Bernabé; Alberca, Gustavo; Ugaz Cherre, Armando (2026): Confirmation of a new owl species (Strigidae: Bubo) endemic to the jalca of the Huancabamba Andean Depression, Peru. Audiornis 6, pp. 2–53.
South American Classification Committee: Proposal 1090 – Recognize newly described Bubo jalca.
Sci.News, September 8, 2026: New Owl Species Discovered in Peru.
Ornithomedia, September 15, 2026: Report on the proposed recognition of the Grand-duc de la jalca.
Hero image: Páramo landscape in Sondor, Huancabamba province, Piura. Photo: Heiner Amado Cadillo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
