From Opus

Alternative names: Commmon Scops-Owl; European Scops-Owl

Photo by JJM
Lesvos, May 2003

Otus scops

[edit] Identification

Small, eared owl with yellow eyes. Its plumage is a grey-buff intricately marked with black provides excellent camouflage against tree bark when roosting.

Young birds are more strongly vermiculated than adults.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Europe, parts of North Africa, Asia Minor east to Central Asia. Many populations migratory, moving to Africa south of Sahara in winter.

Juvenile
Photo by anzek
Bijela, Montenegro

[edit] Taxonomy

Originally formed superspecies with Oriental Scops Owl and African Scops Owl but is vocally and genetically distinct.

[edit] Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized^[1]:

• O. s. scops:

• France and Mediterranean islands to Volga River, northern Greece and Transcaucasia

• O. s. pulchellus:

• Volga River to Lake Baikal and south to Altai and Tien Shan Mountains

• O. s. mallorcae:

• Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, northern Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia

• O. s. cycladum:

• Southern Greece and Crete, south Asia Minor, Israel, southern Turkey and Jordan

• O. s. cyprius:

• Cyprus

• O. s. turanicus:

• Iraq through Iran and southern Transcaspia to north-western Pakistan

Subspecies cycladum may be included in nominate form.

[edit] Habitat

Open or semi-open woodland, parks, plantations etc. Winters on savannah. Usually not conifers except in parts of Russian range.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

Nests in tree-holes and in cavities in rocks and walls.

[edit] Diet

Mainly insects and other invertebrates but also small lizards, frogs and small mammals.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist

• List of references

[edit] External Links