Creencias populares sobre los búhos en Centroamérica y Africa un estudio comparativo

This paper compares the public owl knowledge in Central America and Africa based on 309 interviews to both sex (162 in Costa Rica and 147 in Malawi). General knowledge of owls included: local names, habitats, food and calls. The results were quite similar in both study areas, but in Africa there are still much more superstitions on owls than in Central America. In Malawi more than 90% of respondents connected owls with the bad luck, witchcraft and death. In Costa Rica only 3% associated owls with bad omen and other 3% listed them as frightening. Strong superstitions are leading to unnecessary killings of owls in Africa, but owls are also killed in Central America. To conserve owls and their habitats, we must develop educational programs.