**Acknowledgements**

We would like to express our gratitude to Miss. Yesra Shkaky (General Organization of Remote Sensing, Department of Environmental Researches and Regional Planning, Syria) for her kind technical support in the preparation of the species distribution maps. We are grateful to Dr. Mukhtar K. Haba, Dr. Nadheer A. Fazaa (University of Baghdad-Iraq), Korsh Ararat (University of Sulaymani-Iraq), and Dr. Zuhair S. Amr (Jordan) for their valuable comments on owls of Iraq and Syria along with their valuable remarks on the initial draft of this chapter. Our thanks extend once more time to Korsh Ararat and Ali N. Al-Barazangi (Iraqi Ministry of Environment-Iraq) and to Ahmad Abdullah (Conservationist-Syria) for providing owls' photographs featured in this chapter. In appreciation of the impressive work that had been contributed to add knowledge to the owl avifauna of Syria by the late Dr. Adwan Shehab, we dedicate this chapter to him, wishing mercy and forgiveness for his soul.
