EDITOR: An absolutely stunning photo. At the San Isidro lodge on the eastern slope of the Ecuadorian Andes lives a family of owls different than any others. They have some characteristics of the Black-banded Owl found in the Amazon basin, and the Black-and-white Owl found in western Ecuador and elsewhere. One was captured quite some time ago, and DNA analysis was done, but I haven't heard that there was a conclusion.
Africa (entire continent rather than south of Sahara)
AN
Antarctica
AO
Atlantic Ocean
AU
Australasia (Wallacea (Indonesian islands east of Wallace's line), New Guinea and its islands, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu)
PAL
Eurasia (Europe, Asia from the Middle East through central Asia north of the Himalayas, Siberia and northern China to Japan)
IO
Indian Ocean
LA
Latin America (Middle and South America)
MA
Middle America (Mexico through Panama)
NA
North America (includes the Caribbean)
NO
Northern oceans
OR
Oriental Region (South Asia from Pakistan to Taiwan, plus Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Greater Sundas)