How big is a Karthala Scops Owl?

The Karthala Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 69 g.

Where can you see a Karthala Scops Owl?

The Karthala Scops Owl is endemic to the Comoros, which is the only country where it occurs.

What birds look similar to a Karthala Scops Owl?

The Karthala Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Moheli Scops Owl, the Enggano Scops Owl and the Mindoro Scops Owl.

Is the Karthala Scops Owl endangered?

The Karthala Scops Owl is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Karthala Scops Owl

Otus pauliani

Owls · Strigiformes · Legendary

The Karthala Scops Owl (Otus pauliani) is a legendary owl found only in the Comoros, weighing about 69 g. The Karthala scops owl, also known as the Grand Comore scops owl or Comoro scops owl, is a small scops owl endemic to the island of Grande Comore in the Comoro Islands.

EndangeredLegendaryEndemicEats invertebratesforestcavity nest69 g

About the Karthala Scops Owl

The Karthala scops owl, also known as the Grand Comore scops owl or Comoro scops owl, is a small scops owl endemic to the island of Grande Comore in the Comoro Islands.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The Karthala scops owl lacks ear-tufts and comes in two colour forms, a light morph and a dark morph. The light morph is dark greyish-brown on the upperparts with fine barring and pale spots along the scapulars. The underparts are reddish-buff with a dense pattern of fine barring on the flight feathers and tail. The dark morph is overall dark chocolate brown but no specimen of a dark morph individual has been taken. It measures approximately 20 cm (7.9 in) in length and the wingspan is 45 cm (18 in). Voice: Its call is a whistled "toot", which is given repeatedly with one second intervals.

Where it lives

Comoros

When to see it

Best months: October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Karthala Scops Owl?: The Karthala scops owl lacks ear-tufts and comes in two colour forms, a light morph and a dark morph. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Karthala Scops Owl?: The Karthala Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 69 g.
Where can you see a Karthala Scops Owl?: The Karthala Scops Owl is endemic to the Comoros, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Karthala Scops Owl?: The Karthala Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Moheli Scops Owl, the Enggano Scops Owl and the Mindoro Scops Owl.
Is the Karthala Scops Owl endangered?: The Karthala Scops Owl is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Karthala Scops Owl for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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