Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) | Photos, Calls and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

ForestCavity nestMedium · 78 g

What the Oriental Scops Owl sounds like

Sonogram of the Oriental Scops Owl: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by steve · Song · Guangyuan, Sichuan, China · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The oriental scops owl is a small, variably plumaged, yellow-eyed owl with ear-tufts which are not always erect. It can be distinguished from the collared scops owl by its whitish scapular stripe, well-marked underparts, and lack of pale collar. There are two colour morphs, grey and rufous; intermediate forms also occur. Sexes are similar in appearance. Individuals may freeze with eyes half-closed when disturbed. The species has a repeated liquid call sounding like "tuk tok torok". Adults have higher-pitched calls than juveniles.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Oriental Scops Owl

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Oriental Scops Owl

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 20 countries with regular records, and 2 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

India China Thailand Cambodia Sri Lanka Taiwan Vietnam South Korea Singapore Russia Bangladesh Nepal Japan Malaysia Hong Kong SAR China North Korea Myanmar (Burma) Mongolia Laos Bhutan

Recorded as a rare visitor in Macao SAR China, Pakistan.

About the Oriental Scops Owl

The oriental scops owl is a scops owl species native to South and Southeast Asia.

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

Easily confused with

African Scops OwlOtus senegalensisThe African scops owl is a small owl, measuring 17 cm (6.7 in) in length.

Madagascar Scops OwlOtus rutilusThe Madagascar scops owl is a relatively small owl with short, rounded wings and short erectile ear-tufts on top of the head.

Indian Scops OwlOtus bakkamoenaThe Indian scops owl is a small 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) owl, although it is one of the largest of the scops owls.

Side by side: Indian Scops Owl vs Oriental Scops Owl · African Scops Owl vs Oriental Scops Owl · Flammulated Owl vs Oriental Scops Owl

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