Andaman scops owl | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Strigiformes |
Family: | Strigidae |
Genus: | Otus |
Species: | O. balli |
Binomial name | |
Otus balli (Hume, 1873) | |
The Andaman scops owl (Otus balli) is a species of the Strigidae family and is native to the Andaman Islands of India. [3] It is a largely brown owl with white speckles and yellow eyes. [4] The owl was first described in 1873 by British Ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume. The Andaman Scops Owl has no sightings outside of the Andaman Islands, therefore research on this bird is limited. This owl is not threatened, though an increase in deforestation on the islands has led to the population size slowly declining. It is a nocturnal owl that feeds at night and has a nesting season from February to April. [5]
The Andaman Scops Owl is between 18 and 19 cm in height. They occur in red-brown and grey-brown morphs. The species is also noted for its prominent ear tufts and pale eyebrows. The upperparts of the owl are spotted with black and white spots. In addition, white spots can be seen along the neck and crown area. In contrast to the upperparts, the underparts are pale and grey. The tail will be brown and tan while the feathers will appear brown, tan, and white. The owl notably also can have bright yellow irises that could also occur in brown or hazel. Similarly, the bill is yellow, and the feet will be greenish-yellow or grey. [4]
The Andaman Scops Owl, also referred to as the Otus balli, was considered the same species as the Otus icterorhynchus due to their similar morphologies. However, differences in their vocals and feathers have led to ornithologists identifying them as separate species. [4]
The owl makes a loud pulsating “hoot, hoot” noise that switches between high and low pitch. [5] They also make a sound like “curroo” where they resemble a human rolling their “r.” [4]
This is a nocturnal animal that hunts at night. It eats a variety of insects like caterpillars and beetles. [5] When hunting, it hides in the leaves and silently slides behind the prey before it attacks. [4]
The species prefers living in trees in semi-open areas. This includes gardens, cultivated areas, and next to human settlements. [5] The species is also notorious for entering bungalows and homes. [4]
Conservation status of this owl was listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2020. A rise of habitat destruction on the Islands has caused some worries about the future of the owl, but as of the last assessment date, the population numbers are healthy. Though there is no official population size recorded, the owl has tolerated habitat destruction well. [5]
The Andaman Scops owl typically lays its eggs between February and April. [5] They will nest in a tree hollow, or an abandoned woodpecker or barbet hole. The eggs are laid above ground about 2-4 meters high. Only 2-3 eggs are laid at a time. [4] The Owl has a generation length of about 3.7 years. [5]
The Eurasian scops owl, also known as the European scops owl or just scops owl, is a small owl in the typical owl family Strigidae. Its breeding range extends from southern Europe eastwards to southern Siberia and the western Himalayas. It is migratory, wintering in Africa south of the Sahara.
The collared scops owl is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from northern Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Himalayas east to south China, and Taiwan. It is partially migratory, with some birds wintering in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. This species was formerly considered to be included within what is now separated as the Indian scops owl.
The Indian scops owl is a species of owl native to South Asia.
The Japanese scops-owl is a small owl species in the family Strigidae, or true owl family. It is a member of the genus Otus, the scops owl genus. It is resident to Japan, China, Korea, and Russia.
The Philippine scops owl is a common owl, endemic to the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. Other common names include "Otus Whitehead", "Whitehead scops owl" and "Luzon lowland scops owl". Everett's scops owl and Negros scops owls were formerly considered conspecific but are now classified as separate species.
The Serendib scops owl is the most recently discovered bird of Sri Lanka. It was originally located by its unfamiliar poo-ooo call in the Kitulgala rainforest by prominent Sri Lankan ornithologist Deepal Warakagoda. Six years later, it was finally seen by him on 23 January 2001 in Sinharaja, and formally described as a species new to science in 2004. Apart from Sinharaja and Kitulgala, it has also been found at Runakanda Reserve in Morapitiya and Eratna Gilimale. It is known as පඩුවන් බස්සා in Sinhala.
The Karthala scops owl, also known as the Grand Comore scops owl or Comoro scops owl, is a small scops owl endemic to the island of Grande Comore in the Comoro Islands.
The Puerto Rican owl or múcaro común, formerly known as the Puerto Rican screech owl, is a mid-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico though it formerly also inhabited the Virgin Islands.
The African scops owl is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Flores scops owl is an owl endemic to the island of Flores, Indonesia. It is threatened by habitat loss. This owl is around 19–21 cm from head to tail. They are a forest dwelling owl that is smallish in size. Some 250–2,499 individuals are estimated to be extant in the wild, dwindling due to habitat loss.
The Javan scops owl is a small species of owl living mainly on western Java's high volcanos; local people refer to the owl as Celepuk Jawa. Like most owls, this nocturnal bird also has a strong ability of silent flight.
Wallace's scops owl is endemic to the Sumbawa and Flores islands, in the Lesser Sundas chain of Indonesia. It is not rare in most of its habitat and has no subspecies except for the nominate. It is also known as the Lesser Sunda scops owl. It is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, and biologist.
The Luzon scops owl or the Luzon highland scops owl is a species of scops owl endemic to Luzon, Philippines. Not to be confused with the Philippine scops owl, sometimes referred to as the Luzon lowland scops owl, which is a more common species that shares the same range. The Luzon scops owl, however, is smaller and inhabits higher altitudes than its lowland relative.
The Sangihe scops owl is an owl species endemic to the Sangihe Island of Indonesia.
The Mantanani scops owl, is a small owl in the scops-owl genus Otus found on small islands between Borneo and the Philippines. It is listed by the IUCN as "near threatened" because its range is limited with its population being fragmented on several different islands, and its forest habitat is being degraded by ongoing logging and clearance.
The São Tomé scops owl is a species of owl in the true owl family, Strigidae. It is endemic to São Tomé Island, part of São Tomé and Príncipe, in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa.
The Mayotte scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the island of Mayotte in the Comoros.
The Madagascar scops owl, also known as the Malagasy scops owl or Rainforest scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found throughout Madagascar, now that it has recently been lumped with the Torotoroka scops owl, with which it was long considered a separate species from. The nominate O. r. rutilus is referred to as Rainforest scops owl.
The Socotra scops owl is a small owl endemic to the island of Socotra, Yemen.
The Negros scops owl, also known as the Visayan scops owl, is an owl, endemic to the islands of Negros and Panay in the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Philippine scops owl. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting for the pet trade.