Scops Owl for ID - Kolkata, India, Oct 2021 (1 Viewer)

[sbiswas.geo]

This owl has been spotted in our city since yesterday morning and it has been a subject of hot debate. While some are arguing in favour of an Eurasian Scops Owl (which will be super super rare in this part of India, nearest record is 1900 km west), others think this falls within variations of an Oriental Scops Owl which is usual here.

I am uploading images/videos shot by various birders including me. The habitat is within city. It is seen roosting on acacia and other medium sized trees during daytime, next to a fishing pond by a motorable road. No calls heard yet. Please share your views and suggestions.

Thank you.

Youtube Video 1
Youtube Video 2

eBird image 1
eBird image 2

eBird checklist 1
eBird checklist 2
eBird checklist 3

 

[sbiswas.geo]

 

[Vyomkesh]

Saw post of this bird on Ask Id. When I looked then many experts were favouring Oriental and many comments with Eurasian were without pointers (or were they?)

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Saw post of this bird on Ask Id. When I looked then many experts were favouring Oriental and many comments with Eurasian were without pointers (or were they?)

There were pointers discussed in favour of ESO as well, but I do not want to discuss those pointers here and influence the opinion of the members.

 

[Butty]

The field guide says they're not safely separable in the field other than by voice. So, unless there's a better ID source, there's your answer...

There were pointers discussed in favour of ESO as well, but I do not want to discuss those pointers here and influence the opinion of the members.

I think you should say what is known - or what the arguments for/against are - then people are better placed to help you.

 

[sbiswas.geo]

The field guide says they're not safely separable in the field other than by voice. So, unless there's a better ID source, there's your answer...


I think you should say what is known - or what the arguments for/against are - then people are better placed to help you.

Some pointers are given in Rasmussen such as rufous around eye, finer crossbars on underparts, etc. but some experts saying these features are subjective, variable and debatable.

 

[Butty]

Thanks - interesting - though that extract's not terribly useful, unfortunately, as it's chiefly aimed at differentiating from pallid scops owl. With complex and intricate owl-type plumage-patterns, one really needs some pretty clear-cut features to hang an ID on.
Can you give the link to (what I guess is) the other online discussion?

 

[njlarsen]

Owls of the World states that

in the hand, Oriental shows a rounder wing with 4-5 primaries showing beyond the longest tertial (vs six to seven for Common SO

and I assume their Common SO is the same as Eurasian. Common is also said to have a more bark-like plumage whatever that means.

Niels

 

[Earnest lad]

Beautiful photos of a lovely bird

 

[DMW]

It's tricky identifying scops owls from photos, and Oriental especially is highly variable. However, I haven't found photos of Oriental with similar long, narrow streaks on the upper parts to this bird, whereas it does closely resemble Eurasian Scops in this regard.

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Thanks - interesting - though that extract's not terribly useful, unfortunately, as it's chiefly aimed at differentiating from pallid scops owl. With complex and intricate owl-type plumage-patterns, one really needs some pretty clear-cut features to hang an ID on.
Can you give the link to (what I guess is) the other online discussion?

Abhinand Chandran is an owl expert in India and this is what said in favour of Eurasian:

Rufous around eyes and facial disk border, tarsal feathers doesn't seems extending on to toes and showing somewhat clear cut margin, underparts streaking and cross bands are good for ESO, scapulars are not clearly visible but what I can see is white (vs buff) with black tips. These are supportive of a ESO. (This part is about separating a ESO from Pallid). An OSO I think would be more blotchy white spotted darker bird with strongly cross barred and mottled underparts.

Most of the discussion has taken place under a Facebook post.
Facebook post - Eurasian v/s Oriental Owl

 

[Vyomkesh]

Facebook post - Eurasian v/s Oriental Owl

Are there multiple posts of this one?

Birds of the World
Occurs in gray-brown and rufous morphs. Gray-brown morph similar to corresponding plumage of O. scops, differing mainly in less patterned upperparts and stronger black streaking below, but variable;

Birds of the Indian subcontinent
Rufous morph distinctive from Eurasian Scops; other appear virtually identical, although Oriental is more heavily marked above and below.

An article in Flamingo Gujarat Magazine ((PDF) Eurasian Scops Owl in Bhavnagar district)
The Eurasian Scops Owl is usually greyish in colour (but occurs in grey and brown morphs), with uniform black streaks on crown and mantle, rufous accents on scapulars and over the eyes, and long wings falling over the tail at rest. It is said to be ‘not safely distinguishable in the field from Oriental Scops Owl, except by call’ (Grimmett et al. 2011). In addition to other features, the Eurasian Scops Owl has ‘concentric dark and pale areas at back of head’, which could be useful in its separation from the similar Oriental Scops Owl and Pallid Scops Owl (Chandran et al. 2016). Its call, a low, short, whistle ‘tyew’ or ‘toow’, which is repeated at intervals of every two-three seconds, is diagnostic (Holt et al. 2017).




Unfortunately couldn't find more resources to see

@Vyom B. Vyas?

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Are there multiple posts of this one?

I am not aware. I am following only one on Facebook. I think some discussion threads have been opened on Whatsapp but I am not part pf those.

 

[sbiswas.geo]

Another image received today.

 

[Vyom B. Vyas]

Tough one eh...
Although I would say to thoroughly go through Oriental and the myriad morphs it has first before even considering Eurasian as an option, but here since there are even pointers for Eurasian as well as Oriental, this is ought to get confusing. So to clear my mind as of now I can suggest Scops-Owl species

 

[Vyomkesh]

Any update on the bird?

 

[sbiswas.geo]

No. It is gone. Last seen on Nov 30th. General opinion is towards ESO based on images.

 

[Vyomkesh]

Some eBird records have been confirmed; though opinion towards ESO, can we confirm it?

https://ebird.org/india/checklist/S96915291

got it in Photo + Sound Quiz

 

[Butty]

can we confirm it?

People just express their views here. Others may then draw their own conclusions based (or not based) on the various views expressed.

 

[Vyomkesh]

People just express their views here. Others may then draw their own conclusions based (or not based) on the various views expressed.

But I was talking of eBird, since some views are conflicting I doubt it should be confirmed on eBird. I don't have any issues with individuals including it in their lists.