The relatively extensive fossil record of owls (Aves, Strigiformes) in North America and Europe stands in stark contrast to the paucity of fossil strigiformes from Africa. The first occurrence of a fossil owl from the Paleogene of Africa extends the fossil record of this clade on that continent by as much as 25 million years, and confirms the presence of large-sized owls in Oligocene continental faunas. The new fossil is tentatively referred to the Selenornithinae, a clade of large owls previously restricted to Europe. This new fossil owl was likely similar in size to the extant Eagle Owls of the genus Bubo, and suggests that the niche of large, volant, terrestrial avian predator, although relatively rare throughout avian evolutionary history, may be an ecological role that was more common among extinct owls than previously recognized.

中文翻译：

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非洲古近代的第一只化石猫头鹰（Aves，Strigiformes）

在北美和欧洲，猫头鹰（化石，纹状体）的化石记录相对广泛，与非洲的化石纹状体稀少形成鲜明对比。来自非洲古近代的化石猫头鹰的首次出现将该进化枝在该大陆上的化石记录延长了多达2500万年，并证实了渐新世大陆动物群中存在大型猫头鹰。暂时将新化石称为Selenornithinae，这是以前仅限于欧洲的大型猫头鹰进化枝。这种新的化石猫头鹰的大小可能与现存的Bubo鹰Eagle相似，并表明，大型的，动静的，陆地鸟类捕食者的生态位，尽管在整个鸟类进化史上相对较少，但可能是生态学的角色，在灭绝的猫头鹰中比以前认识到的更为普遍。