Eurasian Scops-Owl Otus scops Scientific name definitions

Eurasian Scops-Owl is a small, brownish-gray owl with small ear tufts that is common and widespread breeder across much of southern Europe north to France and Ukraine, east through southern Russia and south to Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Israel. It is a migratory species, with most birds leaving the breeding grounds south to the Afrotropics south of the Sahara, south to Cameroon, northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and northern Kenya. It feeds mainly on large insects, but will also take small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Females lay 2–6 eggs in a cavity, occasionally using nests of other species, and readily uses nest boxes. Both the male and female feed the chicks. The taxonomy of scops-owls has been complicated by plumage similarities, and Eurasian Scops-Owl at one time included at least 11 other taxa that are now considered separate species (1 Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood (2019). The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. Close ). Even recently, Cyprus Scops-Owl (Otus cyprius) was split from Eurasian Scops-Owl, largely on the basis of song differences and some plumage differences (2 Flint, P., D. Whaley, G. M. Kirwan, M. Charalambides, M. Schweizer, and M. Wink (2015). Reprising the taxonomy of Cyprus Scops Owl Otus (scops) cyprius, a neglected island endemic. Zootaxa 4040(3):301–316. Close ). Eurasian Scops-Owl faces no immediate conservation concerns, and is considered common across much of its large distribution.

16–20 cm (3 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 53–64 cm; 60–135 g (3 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Occurs in gray-brown and rufous-brown morphs, latter less frequent. Rufous-brown morph, however, increased in Italy during 1870–2007, this being correlated with an increase in temperature and rainfall (4 Galeotti, P., Rubolini, D., Sacchi, R. and Fasola, M. (2009). Global changes and animal phenotypic responses: melanin-based plumage redness of scops owls increased with temperature and rainfall during the last century. Biology Letters. 5: 532–534. Close ). Facial disc gray, darker gray-brown around eyes, with thin whitish eyebrows; crown, small ear-tufts , and upperparts brown-gray to rufous-brown with blackish-brown streaks, bars, and vermicu­lations, nape with pale spots, mantle sides more rufous; line of black-tipped white or pale buff spots along scapulars; outer primaries broadly barred buff-white , tail more narrowly barred; underparts lighter brown to buffish-white with black-brown streaks , thin bars, and vermicula­tions, streaks widest on flanks; iris yellow ; bill blue-black ; legs noticeably thin, feathered buff-white; feet gray. At close range, differs from Pallid Scops-Owl (Otus brucei) in generally darker and more heavily marked appearance, pale nape spots, dark cross-bars below, and presence of pale horizontal panels on belly; at distance confusable with Little Owl (Athene noctua), but has more upright stance, longer silhouette, lacks obvious pale spots above, is less boldly streaked below. Juvenile with less conspicuous streaks and vermiculations, especially on underparts.

Formerly considered by many to include Enggano Scops-Owl (Otus enganensis), Simeulue Scops-Owl (Otus umbra), African Scops-Owl (Otus senegalensis), Sao Tome Scops-Owl (Otus hartlaubi), Pallid Scops-Owl (Otus brucei), Luzon Scops-Owl (Otus longicornis), Mindanao Scops-Owl (Otus mirus), Mindoro Scops-Owl (Otus mindorensis), Oriental Scops-Owl (Otus sunia), Ryukyu Scops-Owl (Otus elegans), and Mantanani Scops-Owl (Otus mantananensis); all of these now shown to be separated specifically by voice and, in some cases, by DNA. Recently, Cyprus Scops-Owl (Otus cyprius) was also split from Eurasian Scops-Owl, also on the basis of song differences (Cyprus Scops-Owl sings double-noted song) and plumage differences (Cyprus Scops-Owl is darker) (2 Flint, P., D. Whaley, G. M. Kirwan, M. Charalambides, M. Schweizer, and M. Wink (2015). Reprising the taxonomy of Cyprus Scops Owl Otus (scops) cyprius, a neglected island endemic. Zootaxa 4040(3):301–316. Close ). Nominate subspecies intergrades with pulchellus in region of Volga River. Proposed subspecies vincii (from Italy) is synonymized with nominate.

Five subspecies are recognized. Subspecies vary in ground color of plumage and in strength of dark markings: <em>pulchellus</em> mostly somewhat paler than nominate, with slightly narrower markings, and pale nape spots larger and more extensive; mallorcae smaller, markings heavier; cycladum with darker and coarser markings; turanicus pale silvery-gray, with dark shaft streaks narrow and sharply defined.

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SUBSPECIES

Otus scops scops Scientific name definitions

Distribution

France, Italy and C Mediterranean islands E to R Volga, S to N Greece, N Turkey and Transcaucasia.

Identification Summary

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SUBSPECIES

Otus scops pulchellus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

R Volga E to L Baikal, S to Altai and Tien Shan.

Identification Summary

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SUBSPECIES

Otus scops mallorcae Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Iberia, Balearic Is, NW Africa (NC Morocco to Tunisia).

Identification Summary

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SUBSPECIES

Otus scops cycladum Scientific name definitions

Distribution

S Greece (including Cyclades) and S Asia Minor S to C Israel and Jordan.

Identification Summary

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SUBSPECIES

Otus scops turanicus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Iraq, W and N Iran and SW Turkmenistan (and perhaps this race SE Turkey) E to NW Pakistan.

Identification Summary

It breeds over a broad distribution across Eurasia from the Iberian Peninsula and France in the west east through the Mediterranean Basin, Slovakia, Ukraine, southern Russia, east to north-central Mongolia. To the south, it occurs through Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and Syria and east through parts of Iraq and Iran, Turkmenistan, eastern Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and extreme northwestern China; also occurs narrowly in far eastern Afghanistan and western and northern Pakistan. It also occurs in parts of North Africa from Morocco east across northern Algeria, and into Tunisia. It is resident in the southern Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, southern Italy and Sicily, and southern Greece. Its non-breeding distribution extends across the southern portion of the Sahel Region from Senegal east through southern Sudan and Eritrea, south to Cameroon, the northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northern Uganda, and northern Kenya.

Breeds in rather open and semi-open broadleaved woodland , including parks, orchards, and plantations, also cultivation with groves, and large gardens, riverine forest, roadside trees, and trees in quiet squares in small towns; locally, for example in Russia, occurs in mixed and open coniferous forest, and juniper (Juniperus) woodland; in Pakistan, juniper scrub and holly oak (Quercus ilex) in dry, rocky country; in general, requires good cover of trees, with suitable sites for roosting and nesting, and adjacent open ground with plenty of large insect prey; avoids closed forest and extensive open areas. In African non-breeding grounds, prefers wooded savanna and tall grass with dense bushes, bushy country, acacias in dry river beds; in Senegal, found in dense bamboo. Breeds from sea-level to ca. 2,000 m; in Pakistan, locally to 3,000 m.

Mostly migratory; southerrn populations either partially so or resident. Subspecies mallorcae present all year in Balearics and southern and eastern Spain, although winter numbers considerably reduced, emigrants presumably making short-distance migrations to Africa, where several trapped in north during passage periods; cycladum largely migratory, some birds winter in southern Italy and southern Greece; Pakistan breeders winter largely in southern Pakistan, some probably in western India. Remaining populations apparently all long-distance migrants, leaving breeding grounds from August onwards; most reach Afrotropical savanna regions in winter; return migration from late March. Overshooting migrants in spring occasionally reach northern and northwestern Europe. Family may stay together during migration.

Mostly insects and other invertebrates; also earthworms, spiders, and some small birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Insects mostly crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), and moths (Lepidoptera); other prey include crustaceans (amphipods, isopods), tree frogs (Hyla), birds to size of Redwing (Turdus iliacus), and mice; bats and shrews taken occasionally. In southern Spain, 159 items comprised 94.3% invertebrates, 2.5% reptiles, 1.2% amphibians, 1.2% mice, and 0.6% birds; in northern Italy, 504 prey items of breeding birds consisted of 98.0% insects, 0.8% arachnids, 1.0% mammals, and 0.2% birds (5 Marchesi, L. and Sergio, F. (2005). Distribution, density, diet and productivity of the Scops Owl Otus scops in the Italian Alps. Ibis. 147(1): 176-187. Close ). Also in Italy, main prey are grasshoppers (Tettigonidae) during the breeding period and shrews (Soricidae) during the winter (6 Panzeri, M, Menchetti, M. and Mori, E. (2014). Habitat use and diet of the Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops in the breeding and wintering periods in central Italy. Ardeola. 61(2): 393–399. Close ). Hunts from perch, flying down to grab prey with feet, or may initially land alongside; also hunts on foot, seizing small prey with bill; pulls earthworms from ground with bill; moths caught in feet after fast aerial pursuit. Small insects swallowed whole; larger ones, and vertebrates, pulled apart; birds plucked. Nocturnal, occasionally diurnal.

Male territorial call a low, short whistle, “tyeu” , repeated at intervals of 2–3 s for long periods; female higher-pitched; frequent duets during courtship. During the nesting season, pairs singing most commonly on nights with a full moon (7 Mori, E., Menchetti, M. and Ferretti, F. (2014). Seasonal and environmental influences on the calling behaviour of Eurasian Scops Owls. Bird Study. 61(2): 277-281. Close ).

Season March–August in southern Europe; lays May–June in northern Africa. Monogamous, occasionally polygynous. Mostly solitary, but occasionally 2–7 pairs nest in "loose colonies" (5 Marchesi, L. and Sergio, F. (2005). Distribution, density, diet and productivity of the Scops Owl Otus scops in the Italian Alps. Ibis. 147(1): 176-187. Close ). Nest in tree cavity, hole in building or wall (5 Marchesi, L. and Sergio, F. (2005). Distribution, density, diet and productivity of the Scops Owl Otus scops in the Italian Alps. Ibis. 147(1): 176-187. Close ), or occasionally old nest of other species, especially Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) or raptor, sometimes disused burrow of bee-eater (Merops); readily accepts nestboxes ; same site sometimes used for several years, though not known if by same pair; in 2 successive years, pair used sites 350 m apart. Female lays 2–6 eggs , normally 3–4; replacement clutch laid if first lost; laying interval 1–3 days; incubation generally 24–25 (20–31) days, by female, from second, third or last egg; hatching asynchronous, 4–5 young over 3 days; chick with white to pale gray down; female performs almost all brooding; young leave nest at 21–29 days , able to fly well by 30–33 days, cared for by parents for ca. 5 weeks. Age of first breeding in wild unknown, probably 1 year. Oldest banded bird 6 years. In the Italian Alps, 95% of 21 nesting attempts were successful, and pairs raised an average of 1.95 fledglings per attempt (5 Marchesi, L. and Sergio, F. (2005). Distribution, density, diet and productivity of the Scops Owl Otus scops in the Italian Alps. Ibis. 147(1): 176-187. Close ). Based on long-term data gathered at a banding station in northwestern Italy, annual adult survival estimated at 0.58, with no sex differences (8 Boano, G. and Silvano, F. (2015). Adult survival probability in a recovered population of Scops Owls Otus scops. Ardea. 103(2): 145–153. Close ). On the basis of call-playback surveys, densities on an island off France increased from 0.39 to 2.25 birds per km² from 1981–2007 (9 Bavoux, C., Burneleau, G., Métlvier, J.-M. and Roulin, A. (2011). Démographie et distribution spatiale sur le long terme du Petit-duc Scops Otus scops sur L'ile d'Oleron (charente-maritime, France). [Demography and long term spatial distribution of Scops Owl Otus scops on the Island of Oleron (Western France)]. Alauda. 79(2): 135-147. In French with English summary. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. In mid-1990s, European population estimated at 77,000–96,000 pairs, plus possibly 50,000 pairs in European Russia and 30,000 pairs in Turkey; main strongholds in Spain and Croatia, with ca. 32,000 and 21,000, respectively; numbers generally stable or decreased; decline of over 50% in Austria, Switzerland, and Ukraine; some increase in Hungary. Considered not rare in suitable habitat in Russia; in Lebanon, abundant in Bekaa valley (1974); marked population decrease in Israel due to pesticide use, but some recovery since 1970s. Marked range contraction in Europe in 1900s probably due to habitat changes and reduction in insect populations: in France, contracted towards south, since 1936 extinct in several areas in northern half of country and only accidental in others, possibly related to decrease in populations of large insects due to widespread large-scale farming, or reduction in number of hollow trees; extinct in many former breeding areas in Switzerland, where habitat fragmented by spread of viniculture and agricultural intensification; similar history in Austria, where decreased from ca. 50–150 pairs in 1983 to 20–30 in mid-1990s. There are, however, several recent breeding records in southern and central Germany (10 Mebs, T. and Nicklaus, G. (2014). Die Brutvorkommen der Zwergohreule Otus scops in Deutschland. Ornithologischer Anzeiger. 53: 94–104. In German with English summary. Close ).