Spotted Wood Owl (Strix seloputo) | Photos and ID

LCLeast ConcernVertebrates

WoodlandCavity nestLarge · 1.0 kg

Spotted Wood Owl (Strix seloputo), photo 1 — Photo: Zac Peterson · CC BY 4.0

Spotted Wood Owl (Strix seloputo), photo 2 — Photo: Zac Peterson · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

The spotted wood owl grows to a length of about 44 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in) with a wing length of 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in). The head is chocolate brown with an orangish-buff facial disc and, in the nominate subspecies, a yellowish throat band, but there are no ear-tufts. The upper parts are coffee-coloured, with white bars and spots edged with black. The underparts are dull yellow with broad white and narrow black bars. The eye is dark brown and the beak greenish-black. The legs and toes are well-feathered, with the visible parts being olive.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Spotted Wood Owl

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

Where to see the Spotted Wood Owl

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 6 countries with regular records, and 1 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.

Singapore Cambodia Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam

Recorded as a rare visitor in Indonesia.

About the Spotted Wood Owl

The spotted wood owl is an owl of the earless owl genus, Strix. Its range is disjunct; it occurs in many regions surrounding Borneo, but not on that island itself.

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

Easily confused with

Rufous-legged OwlStrix rufipesThe rufous-legged owl is compact, with a round head and no ear tufts.

Rusty-barred OwlStrix hylophilaThe rusty-barred owl is about 35 cm (14 in) long.

Fulvous OwlStrix fulvescensThe fulvous owl is a medium-sized owl with a round head.

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