Pemba Scops Owl
Otus pembaensis
The Pemba Scops Owl (Otus pembaensis) is a legendary owl found only in Tanzania, weighing about 123 g. The Pemba scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.
About the Pemba Scops Owl
The Pemba scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Pemba Island which is part of and off the coast of Tanzania.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Pemba scops owl is a medium-sized scops-owl with short ear-tufts. There are two colour morphs, a brown morph which is mainly pale rufous-brown with light streaking on the head and faint barring on paler underparts and a rufous morph which is a bright, rich rufous, that is paler on the underwing coverts. Both morphs show a pale scapular band, whitish in the brown morph and pale rufous in the rufous morph. The bill is black while the cere is greenish-yellow and the eyes and legs are yellow. It is 15 cm (5.9 in) tall with a 45 cm (18 in) wingspan. Voice: The call is a single "hoo" note which is made at irregular intervals or in a vast rapid series of 4–6 notes given at intervals of half a second. The pair duets with the male calls being shorter, and lower in pitch.
What the Pemba Scops Owl sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, June, July, August, September, 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 Pemba Scops Owl?
- The Pemba scops owl is a medium-sized scops-owl with short ear-tufts. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pemba Scops Owl?
- The Pemba Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 123 g.
- Where can you see a Pemba Scops Owl?
- The Pemba Scops Owl is endemic to Tanzania, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What does a Pemba Scops Owl sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Pemba Scops Owl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Pemba Scops Owl?
- The Pemba Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Nicobar Scops Owl, the Rajah Scops Owl and the Seychelles Scops Owl.
- Is the Pemba Scops Owl endangered?
- The Pemba Scops Owl is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pemba 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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