For 97 owl taxa from 15 of the larger genera (some monotyplc taxa are not represented) a molecular phylogeny was Inferred from a combined dataset of nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear RAG-1 genes. The molecular phylogeny can be used to create a taxonomic framework, which agrees with cladistics. Strigiformes are divided Into two families: Tytonldae and Strigidae. The Tytonldae are subdivided into the subfamilies Tytoninae (with Tyto) and Phodilinae (with Phodilus). The Strigidae cluster in three subfamilies: Striginae, Surniinae and Ninoxinae (with the genera Ninox, and possibly the monotypic Uroglaux and Sceloglaux). The Surniinae are subdivided in three tribes Surnini (with Surnia, Glaucidium and Taenloglaux), Athenini (with Athene) and Aegolini (with Aegolius). The Striginae are subdivided into six tribes: Bubonini (with Bubo including the former Nyctea, Ketupa and Scotopelia), Strigini (with Strix and Jubula), Pulsatrigini (with Pulsatrix and Lophostrix), Megascopini (with Megascops and Psiloscops), Otini (with Otus and Mimizuku) and Asionini (with Asio, Ptilopsis and possibly the monotypic Nesaslo and Pseudoscops).