White-fronted Scops Owl (Otus sagittatus)

White-fronted Scops Owl

[order] STRIGIFORMES | [family] Strigidae | [latin] Otus sagittatus | [authority] Cassin, 1848 | [UK] White-fronted Scops Owl | [FR] Petit duc a front blanc | [DE] Weissstirn-Eule | [ES] Autillo Frentiblanco | [NL] Maleisische Dwergooruil

Subspecies

Genus Species subspecies Region Range
Otus sagittatus OR Malay Peninsula

Genus

Members of the genus Otus are the Scops and Screech owls. They are relatively small owls, with short, rounded wings. Most have erectile ear-tufts. Otus is a worldwide genus, containing some 45 species.

Physical charateristics

Medium-sized, long-tailed scops-owl. Dark rufous to rufous-chestnut upperside, broad whitish forehead-patch and eyebrows, extending to ear-tufts. Underparts have dark vermiculations, white markings and dark spots. Bluish-white bill, dark brown iris. Similar spp. Reddish Scops-owl O. rufescens is smaller, darker with dark bars on primaries. Voice A hollow, monotone, whistled hoooo has been attributed to it, but it appears to call rarely

Listen to the sound of White-fronted Scops Owl

[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/STRIGIFORMES/Strigidae/sounds/White-fronted Scops Owl.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto


wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 27 cm size max.: 29 cm
incubation min.: 0 days incubation max.: 0 days
fledging min.: 0 days fledging max.: 0 days
broods: 0   eggs min.: 0  
      eggs max.: 0  

Range

Oriental Region : Malay Peninsula

Habitat

It is resident and nocturnal in old-growth and regenerating evergreen or mixed deciduous forests of level lowlands and hill-slopes to at least 700 m. Limited mist-netting data indicates that it sometimes frequents dense or open lower storeys of mature forest, but may not inhabit recently logged forest.

Reproduction

In Malaysia and Thailand, the breeding season is apparently February-March.

Feeding habits

Insects, chiefly moths, are its only documented food items.

Conservation

This poorly known species has a small, rapidly declining, severely fragmented population which is dependent on lowland or foothill forest, much of which has been destroyed or degraded within its range. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.
Otus sagittatus is known from Tenasserim, Myanmar, south-west Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. It appears to be locally distributed and scarce throughout its range. However, its true status is unclear as it is difficult to detect and it may be more common than records suggest
White-fronted Scops Owl status Vulnerable

Migration

Presumed sedentary

Distribution map

White-fronted Scops Owl distribution range map

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *