Observation of attempted courtship feeding in the Chaco Owl Strix chacoensis (Aves: Strigidae)

The breeding behaviour of the endemic Chaco Owl Strix chacoensis is almost completely undocumented. In this note, we describe an attempt at courtship feeding in this species. The male engaged in ritualised head movements as he approached the female with a prey offering. Potentially significant differences from courtship behaviour in other Strix owls include a lack of wing movements and vocalisations during the display. This report also represents the first record of amphibians in the diet of this species.