How do you identify a Rajah Scops Owl?

Adults have a fierce-looking face. Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Rajah Scops Owl?

The Rajah Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 123 g.

Where can you see a Rajah Scops Owl?

The Rajah Scops Owl is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.

What birds look similar to a Rajah Scops Owl?

The Rajah Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Pemba Scops Owl, the Sao Tome Scops Owl and the Biak Scops Owl.

Is the Rajah Scops Owl endangered?

The Rajah Scops Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Rajah Scops Owl

Otus brookii

Owls · Strigiformes · Legendary

The Rajah Scops Owl (Otus brookii) is a legendary owl found only in Indonesia, weighing about 123 g. The Rajah scops owl is a species of owl found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Least ConcernLegendaryEndemicEats invertebratesforestcavity nest123 g

About the Rajah Scops Owl

The Rajah scops owl is a species of owl found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The bird is named after James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak. Based on patterns of speciation in other endemic montane bird species of the same region, it may potentially have to be split into two distinct species; if so, the name Otus brookii would be restricted to just the Bornean population.

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

How to identify it

Adults have a fierce-looking face. The body overall is dark brown. When perched, the blackish crown and white ear-tufts are visible. Its underparts are brownish with thick black streaking. It has a distinct orange iris. The subspecies Otus brookii solokensis is different in plumage from O. b. brookii in having darker underparts, thicker streaking a less distinct nuchal collar. Juveniles of O. b. brookii remain undescribed. O. b.solokensis has rufous upperparts and vermiculations on the underparts. Voice: O.b.solokensis has an explosive "owh" or "owh-owh" barking call lasting about a half-second and repeated irregularly.

Where it lives

Indonesia

When to see it

Best months: March, May, June, July, August, September, November, with peak activity in July. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Rajah Scops Owl?: Adults have a fierce-looking face. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Rajah Scops Owl?: The Rajah Scops Owl is a medium sized bird weighing about 123 g.
Where can you see a Rajah Scops Owl?: The Rajah Scops Owl is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Rajah Scops Owl?: The Rajah Scops Owl is most easily confused with the Pemba Scops Owl, the Sao Tome Scops Owl and the Biak Scops Owl.
Is the Rajah Scops Owl endangered?: The Rajah Scops Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Rajah Scops Owl for real

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