Otus

Otus refers to a genus of owls of the family Strigidae, containing about 50 species and colloquially referred to as scops owls.

Description[edit]

Owls of this genus are small to medium-sized birds, with a maximum body length of 11 inches. The smallest species weigh around 1.76 ounces, the heaviest over 10.5 ounces.

They are inconspicuous, mostly bark-colored gray-brown or brown above, with many species also bearing a darkly-colored abdomen. Some species show different color morphs, usually reddish-brown or gray-brown. Ear tufts, which are present in all species, are widely separated on the head, yet still give the birds a horned appearance. All have a facial disk, the edge of which is usually clear. In some, but not all, species, the legs are feathered to the toes.

Scops owls are night-time hunters, primarily catching and consuming insects. Vertebrates such as mice, shrews, birds, reptiles and amphibians are also caught, but usually by the larger species.

Scops owls are common in Africa, with the exception of the deserts and the rainforest belt; in southern Europe as well as in central, southern and southeastern Asia. The genus is absent in Central and Northern Europe and largely in the boreal zone of Asia. They are absent from the Americas and Australia.

Species[edit]

• African scops owl, Otus senegalensis
• Andaman scops owl, Otus balli
• Anjouan scops owl, Otus capnodes
• Arabian scops owl, Otus pamelae
• Biak scops owl, Otus beccarii
• Collared scops owl, Otus lettia
• Enggano scops owl, Otus enganensis
• Eurasian scops owl, Otus scops
• Everett's scops owl, Otus everetti
• Flores scops owl, Otus alfredi
• Giant scops owl, Otus gurneyi

• Indian scops owl, Otus bakkamoena
• Japanese scops owl, Otus semitorques
• Javan scops owl, Otus angelinae
• Karthala scops owl, Otus pauliani
• Luzon scops owl, Otus longicornis
• Madeiran scops owl, Otus mauli (extinct)
• Mantanani scops owl, Otus mantananensis
• Mayotte scops owl, Otus mayottensis
• Mentawai scops owl, Otus mentawi
• Mindanao scops owl, Otus mirus
• Mindoro scops owl, Otus mindorensis
• Moheli scops owl, Otus moheliensis
• Moluccan scops owl, Otus magicus
• Mountain scops owl, Otus spilocephalus
• Negros scops owl, Otus nigrorum
• Nicobar scops owl, Otus alius
• Oriental scops owl, Otus sunia
• Palawan scops owl, Otus fuliginosus
• Pallid scops owl, Otus brucei
• Pemba scops owl, Otus pembaensis
• Philippine scops owl, Otus megalotis
• Rainforest scops owl, Otus rutilus
• Rajah scops owl, Otus brookii
• Reddish scops owl, Otus rufescens
• Rinjani scops owl, Otus jolandae
• Ryūkyū scops owl, Otus elegans
• Sandy scops owl, Otus icterorhynchus
• Sangihe scops owl, Otus collari
• São Miguel scops owl, Otus frutuosoi (extinct)
• São Tomé scops owl, Otus hartlaubi
• Seychelles scops owl, Otus insularis
• Simeulue scops owl, Otus umbra
• Socotra scops owl, Otus socotranus
• Sokoke scops owl, Otus ireneae
• Sulawesi scops owl, Otus manadensis
• Sunda scops owl, Otus lempiji
• Torotoroka scops owl, Otus madagascariensis
• Wallace's scops owl, Otus silvicola
• White-fronted scops owl, Otus sagittatus

References[edit]