Sokoke scops owl

Last updated

Sokoke scops owl
Flickr - Rainbirder - Sokoke Scops Owl (Otus ireneae).jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Otus
Species:
O. ireneae
Binomial name
Otus ireneae
Ripley, 1966

The Sokoke scops owl (Otus ireneae), also Morden's scops owl or Morden's owlet, is a highly localized species of scops owl found in lowland forests of Kenya and Tanzania. The greatest population of this species of owl is in the Cynometra-Manilkara forest, which is less than one-third of the Sokoke Forest. It is also found in the Afzelia-Cynometra forest.

Contents

The Sokoke scops owl can grow to 6+12 in (17 cm), and can weigh up to 2 oz (57 g), and is the smallest of the scops owls. It is insectivorous and coloring ranges from grey to rufous.

Description

Sokoke scops owl pair in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Sokoke scops owl pair in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest.jpg
Sokoke scops owl pair in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

Sokoke scops owl is a fairly plain scops owl with small spotted markings on the underside. They are found in a number of color morphs ranging from grey through brown to an orange-rufous. Their call consists of a repetitive "too-too-too-too-too" reminiscent of the calls of tinkerbirds. Males have a higher-pitched, louder and clearer call compared to females, which have a softer, muffled, low-pitched call. [3] They are territorial and pairs may duet in response to intruding conspecifics. [3] The calling intensity of spontaneously calling owls varies with the time of night and phase of the moon. [3]

Distribution

Sokoke scops owl have a highly restricted range in coastal Kenya and north-eastern Tanzania. [4] It was first discovered in 1965 in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve in coastal Kenya. [3] Two other isolated populations have been subsequently discovered in the Dakatcha woodlands in Kenya and in the Manga and Kwamgumi forest reserves in the lowlands of the East Usambara mountains, Tanzania. Its global range is not thought to exceed 500 km2. [4] Other isolated populations of this species may still persist in unsurveyed patches of suitable habitat.

Habitat

Sokoke scops owl has very specific habitat requirements of undisturbed lowland forest. [4] In the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, it only occurs in forest dominated by Brachylaena and Cynometra, despite the presence of other forest types. [4] It is thought that holes in Brachylaena trees provide suitable nesting sites for the owls [5] and their removal may be responsible for population declines.

Conservation

The IUCN places the Sokoke scops owl as globally Endangered on its Red List. [6] Its dependence on undisturbed forest means that it is threatened by human disturbance such as logging, fires and encroachment. [4] Suitable climatic conditions are predicted to shift southwards as the climate changes and be completely lost in the Usambaras by 2080. [4] The isolation of suitable forest patches that are surrounded by human-modified habitats means that they risk extinction. [4] Increasing populations of African elephants in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve may also affect their populations through habitat degradation. [3] Habitat restoration and translocation to other suitable habitat patches have been suggested as potential conservation interventions that may help prevent their extinction. [4] Call surveys conducted in 2005 and 2008 in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve place the population size of the reserve at 800 pairs. [3] Densities in 1997 in the East Usambaras ranged from less than 1.5 pairs/km2 to 3 or 4 pairs/km2, and the population is estimated to be markedly smaller than the Arabuko-Sokoke population. [7]

Behaviour

Like other Otus owls, they are strictly nocturnal, making their biology difficult to study. [8] They are most active immediately after dark and before dawn and travel further from their roost sites to forage when there is less illumination from the Moon. [9] They roost in the dense understory of Cynometra trees during the day. The mean home-range of a pair is 11 ha and there is very little overlap with neighboring pairs.

Diet

Pellet samples show that they feed almost exclusively on medium-sized insects across a wide range of orders, with the predominant prey type likely dependent on availability at the time. [8] Beetles (Coleoptera) and crickets (Orthoptera) appear to be consumed the most. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine scops owl</span> Species of owl

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabuko Sokoke National Park</span> National Park in Kenya

The Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is located on the coast of Kenya, 110 km north of Mombasa and is protected as a national Forest Reserve. The Arabuko Sokoke National Park, situated at the north-western edge of the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, is only a few square kilometres in size and constitutes only a small portion of the latter.

The Moheli scops owl is a scops owl endemic to the island of Mohéli, one of the Comoro Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African scops owl</span> Species of owl

The African scops owl is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal forests of eastern Africa</span> Tropical moist forest region in Africa

The Coastal forests of eastern Africa, also known as the East African Coastal Forests or Zanzibar–Inhambane forests, is a tropical moist forest region along the east coast of Africa. The region was designated a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy scops owl</span> Species of owl

The sandy scops owl, or cinnamon scops owl, is an owl from the family Strigidae found in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunda scops owl</span> Species of owl

The Sunda scops owl is a small brown owl native to the Sunda Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palawan scops owl</span> Species of owl

The Palawan scops owl is an owl endemic to the Philippines only being found on the island of Palawan. It is found on tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindanao scops owl</span> Species of owl

The Mindanao scops owl is an owl endemic to Mindanao island in the Philippines. It is found in tropical montane forest above 1,000 meters above sea level. It is threatened by habitat destruction and deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luzon scops owl</span> Species of owl

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant scops owl</span> Species of owl

The giant scops owl, lesser eagle owl, Mindanao eagle owl or Mindanao owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. In size and structure, it is considered intermediate between a scops owl and an eagle-owl. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">São Tomé scops owl</span> Species of owl

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayotte scops owl</span> Species of owl

The Mayotte scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the island of Mayotte in the Comoros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pemba scops owl</span> Species of owl

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.

<i>Rhynchocyon</i> Genus of mammals

Rhynchocyon is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. Members of this genus are known colloquially as giant sengis. They are a ground-dwelling mammal, significantly larger than their relatives in the order Macroscelidea that live primarily in dense forests across eastern Africa. Habitats range from eastern Africa's coastal forests, Rift Valley highlands, and the Congo basin. The species is widely threatened, with two of four assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Habitat fragmentation from the growth of human settlements and activities are the primary threats to their populations. The genus contains the following five species and several subspecies:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic</span> Tropical forest ecoregion of East Africa

Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, also known as the Northern Swahili coastal forests and woodlands, is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of coastal East Africa. The ecoregion includes a variety of habitats, including forest, savanna and swamps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett's scops owl</span> Species of owl

Everett's scops owl is an owl, endemic to the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. They are found on Bohol, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Mindanao and Basilan. This species is part of the Philippine scops owl species complex which includes the Negros scops owl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Negros scops owl</span> Species of owl

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.

Sokoke dog mongoose is a mongoose species endemic to the East African coastal forests of Tanzania and Kenya.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Otus ireneae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22688565A93201000. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688565A93201000.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Virani, Munir Z.; Njoroge, Peter; Gordon, Ian (2010-07-08). "Disconcerting trends in populations of the endangered Sokoke Scops OwlOtus ireneae in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya". Ostrich. 81 (2): 155–158. doi:10.2989/00306525.2010.488429. ISSN   0030-6525. S2CID   54207275.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Monadjem, Ara; Virani, Munir Z.; Jackson, Colin; Reside, April (June 2013). "Rapid decline and shift in the future distribution predicted for the endangered Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae due to climate change". Bird Conservation International. 23 (2): 247–258. doi: 10.1017/S0959270912000330 . ISSN   0959-2709.
  5. A., Virani, Munir Z. (1994). Ecology of the endangered Sokoke scops owl (Otus ireneae). University of Leicester. OCLC   504820142.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Sokoke Scops-owl (Otus ireneae) - BirdLife species factsheet". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  7. Evans, Tom (1997). "Preliminary estimates of the population density of the Sokoke scops owl Otus ireneae Ripley in the East Usambara lowlands, Tanzania". African Journal of Ecology. 35 (4): 303–311. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.1997.093-89093.x. ISSN   1365-2028.
  8. 1 2 3 Virani, Munir Z (2008). "Diet composition of Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest". Scopus. 27 (1): 6–9.
  9. Virani, Munir (January 2000). "Home range and movement patterns of Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae". Ostrich. 71 (1–2): 139–142. doi:10.1080/00306525.2000.9639892. ISSN   0030-6525. S2CID   85429560.