Oriental scops owl

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Oriental scops owl
Oriental Scops Owl 0A2A9781.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Otus
Species:
O. sunia
Binomial name
Otus sunia
(Hodgson, 1836)

The oriental scops owl (Otus sunia) is a scops owl species of native to South and Southeast Asia.

Contents

Description

The oriental scops owl is a small, variably plumaged, yellow-eyed owl with ear-tufts which are not always erect. It can be distinguished from the collared scops owl by its whitish scapular stripe, well-marked underparts, and lack of pale collar. There are two colour morphs, grey and rufous; intermediate forms also occur. Sexes are similar in appearance. Individuals may freeze with eyes half-closed when disturbed. The species has a repeated liquid call sounding like "tuk tok torok". [2] Adults have higher-pitched calls than juveniles. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The oriental scops owl has an extremely wide distribution across eastern and southern Asia and inhabits dry deciduous forests from Russia to Thailand. The owl nests in holes in trees, especially Mahua trees, [3] during February to April. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2021). "Otus sunia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021 e.T22728969A206482277. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22728969A206482277.en . Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Oriental Scops-owl (Otus sunia)". Handbook of the Birds of the World. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 Bharos, A. M. K.; Naidu, R.; Mandavia, A.; Bharos, A.; Vishwakarma, A. (2023). "The avian diversity of Deccan/ Western Bastar Plateau, Bastar Division, Chhattisgarh". doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2456376/v1.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
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