Andaman Scops Owl
Otus balli
The Andaman Scops Owl (Otus balli) is a rare owl found only in India, weighing about 123 g. The Andaman scops owl is a species of the Strigidae family and is native to the Andaman Islands of India.
About the Andaman Scops Owl
The Andaman scops owl is a species of the Strigidae family and is native to the Andaman Islands of India. It is a largely brown owl with white speckles and yellow eyes. The owl was first described in 1873 by British ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume. The Andaman scops owl has no sightings outside of the Andaman Islands, therefore research on this bird is limited. This owl is not threatened, though an increase in deforestation on the islands has led to the population size slowly declining. It is a nocturnal owl that feeds at night and has a nesting season from February to April.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Andaman scops owl is between 18 and 19 cm in height. They occur in red-brown and grey-brown morphs. The species is also noted for its prominent ear tufts and pale eyebrows. The upperparts of the owl are spotted with black and white spots. In addition, white spots can be seen along the neck and crown area. In contrast to the upperparts, the underparts are pale and grey. The tail will be brown and tan while the feathers will appear brown, tan, and white. The owl notably also can have bright yellow irises that could also occur in brown or hazel.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December, with peak activity in December. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Andaman Scops Owl?
- The Andaman scops owl is between 18 and 19 cm in height. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Andaman Scops Owl?
- The Andaman Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 123 g.
- Where can you see an Andaman Scops Owl?
- The Andaman Scops Owl is endemic to India, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to an Andaman Scops Owl?
- The Andaman Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Philippine Scops Owl, the Sulawesi Scops Owl and the Reddish Scops Owl.
- Is the Andaman Scops Owl endangered?
- The Andaman Scops Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Andaman Scops Owl for real
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