science

Surniinae

Surniinae is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Surniinae rather than just read about it. In short: Surniinae is a subfamily of the typical owls (Strigidae). First described by French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838.

Key takeaways

Surniinae belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Surniinae to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Surniinae from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Surniinae is a subfamily of the typical owls (Strigidae). First described by French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838. The type genus is Surnia. Includes ten genera.

Classification Surniinae includes ten genera (one extinct), from which five (Xenoglaux, Micrathene, Surnia, Uroglaux, Sceloglaux) are monotypic.

Genus Xenoglaux — long-whiskered owlet Genus Micrathene — elf owl Genus Aegolius Genus Athene Genus Surnia Genus Glaucidium — pygmy owls Genus Ninox Genus Taenioptynx Genus Uroglaux — Papuan hawk-owl Genus †Sceloglaux — laughing owl

References

Further reading Salter, J.F.; Oliveros, C.H.; Hosner, P.A.; Manthey, J.D.; Robbins, M.B.; Moyle, R.G.; Brumfield, R.T.; Faircloth, B.C. (2019). "Extensive paraphyly in the typical owl family (Strigidae)". The Auk.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Surniinae

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Surniinae claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Surniinae before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Surniinae ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Surniinae

In research: Surniinae appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Surniinae in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Surniinae is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Bird subfamilies, Strigidae, Strigiformes stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Surniinae outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Surniinae in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Surniinae means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Surniinae out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Surniinae in simple terms?

Surniinae is a subfamily of the typical owls (Strigidae). First described by French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838.

Why does Surniinae matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Surniinae?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Surniinae.