The Eurasian scops owl, also known as the European scops owl or just scops owl, is a small owl. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The scientific name is from the Latin otus for an eared owl and Ancient Greek skopos 'watcher'.
Scops owls are typical owls in family Strigidae belonging to the genus Otus and are restricted to the Old World. Otus is the largest genus of owls with 57 species. Scops owls are colored in various brownish hues, sometimes with a lighter underside and/or face, which helps to camouflage them against the bark of trees. Some are polymorphic, occurring in a greyish- and a reddish-brown morph. They are small and agile, with both sexes being compact in size and shape. Female scops owls are usually larger than males.
The brown hawk-owl, also known as the brown boobook, is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China.
The flammulated owl is a small migratory North American owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Psiloscops.
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. Known as පඩුවන් බස්සා in Sinhala.
Deepal Warakagoda is a prominent Sri Lankan ornithologist. His early working career was in electronics, but for many years he has studied birds and also works as a professional guide for birding tours of the island. He is mostly known for his records as the ornithologist who has seen the greatest amount of species in Sri Lanka. Deepal Warakagoda is also one of the major roles of the Ceylon birds club. He works hard to conserve natural sights and fauna in Sri Lanka and has his own career experience for over 25 years.
Pamela Cecile Rasmussen is a prominent American ornithologist and expert on Asian birds. She was formerly a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and is based at the Michigan State University. She is associated with other major centers of research in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Anjouan scops owl is an owl endemic to the island of Anjouan in the Comoro Islands.
The Puerto Rican owl or múcaro, formerly known as the Puerto Rican screech owl, is a nocturnal endemic owl of the archipelago of Puerto Rico. It is the only species placed in the genus Gymnasio of the family Strigidae. The subspecies G. n. newtoni, which was endemic to the Virgin Islands, was locally referred to as the cuckoo bird.
The sandy scops owl, or cinnamon scops owl, is an owl from the family Strigidae found in 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 Sunda scops owl is a small brown owl native to the Sunda Islands.
The Sangihe scops owl is an owl species endemic to the Sangihe Island of Indonesia.
The cinnabar boobook also known as the cinnabar hawk owl, is a hawk owl endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It was described as a new species to science by American ornithologist Pamela C. Rasmussen in 1999 based on a single specimen collected by Frank Rozendaal from Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park on Minahassa Peninsula, northern Sulawesi, in 1985. Subsequently, it has also been observed in Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, greatly expanding the known habitat range.
The Nicobar sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. There are two subspecies, the nominate race which is found on Car Nicobar in the north of the archipelago, and A. b. obsoletus, from Katchal and Camorta in the central part of the Nicobars. A museum specimen originally attributed to this species from the island of Great Nicobar was later found to be a misidentified Besra.
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 Pemba scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Pemba Island which is part of and off the coast of Tanzania.
The Palau owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. Palau owls are dark reddish brown with small white dots scattered across their feathers. They are endemic to the Pacific Palau Islands, where they are found in woodland and lagoon trees, ravines and mangrove swamps. Palau owls nest in hollows of trees, live in groups and are territorial.
