African scops owl

African scops owl
Roosting at Lake Baringo, Kenya
CITES Appendix II 
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Otus
Species:
O. senegalensis
Binomial name
Otus senegalensis
(Swainson, 1837)
Audio
Calls recorded in Samburu
National Reserve, Kenya

The African scops owl (Otus senegalensis) is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.

An African scops owl in the Zululand Rhino Reserve

Taxonomy

The African scops owl was formally described in 1837 by the English zoologist William Swainson as Otus senegalensis based on a specimen collected in Senegal. The species is now one of 58 scops owls placed in the genus Otus.

Three subspecies are recognised:

The subspecies O. s. feae has sometimes been recognised as a separate species, the Annobón scops owl. When describing the species in 1903, the Italian ornithologist Tommaso Salvadori noted that the birds were abundant in wooded areas at altitudes of 400–500 metres on the island. Few sightings of the bird have been reported since then.

Description

The African scops owl is a small owl, measuring 17 cm (6.7 in) in length. It is typically greyish-brown, though sometimes pale rufous or warmer brown, and is cryptically marked with streaks and mottling. Its grey facial disk has a narrow black edge, and its eyes are yellow. It has ear tufts, which are generally kept lowered unless the bird is disturbed. The African scops owl is around 15–17 cm (5.9–6.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 45 cm (18 in).

Voice

The African scops owl gives a monotonous quivering distinctive "prrrp" at five second intervals.

Similar species

The migrant Eurasian scops owl is very similar to the African scops owl; while it is typically slightly larger, it may not be distinguishable in the field.

Range and habitat

The African scops owl is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. It ranges from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation, and is found in wooded habitats and forest edge, including in gardens and mangroves.

Behaviour

The African scops owl is strictly nocturnal. During the day, it perches close to the trunk of a tree. When roosting in daylight, this species closes its eyes and extends its ear-tufts to give the impression of a tree branch, making it easily overlooked. Pairs sometimes roost together. The African scops owl is not as territorial as the Eurasian scops owl and will nest in loose aggregations, with the nest sites relatively close to each other.

The male and female may duet, calling all night both before and after leaving the roost site. The African scops owl lays four to six eggs directly onto the floor of a tree hollow, with laying occurring throughout April and June. Incubation lasts about 27 days, during which the female incubates the eggs and is fed by the male. Once the eggs hatch the young are fed by the female with food brought by the male. The young fledge in 30 days.

The prey of the African scops owl is mainly insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, moths etc. but also spiders, scorpions and small vertebrates. They normally hunt by scanning or listening from a perch and swooping down to capture prey on the ground, but will hawk for flying insects.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Otus senegalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T61914670A95183137. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T61914670A95183137.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ↑ Swainson, William (1837). Jardine, William (ed.). The Natural History of the Birds of Western Africa. Part I. The Naturalist's Library. Vol. 11. Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars. p. 127.
  4. ↑ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1940). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 93.
  5. 1 2 AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". doi:10.2173/avilist.v2025. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Collar, N.; Boesman, Peter (2020). "The taxonomic status of Annobón Scops Owl Otus feae and Arabian Scops Owl O. pamelae". The Bulletin of the African Bird Club. 27: 159–167.
  7. ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (April 2026). "Owls". IOC World Bird List Version 15.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
  8. ↑ Salvadori, Tommaso (1903). "Contribuzioni alla ornitologia delle Isole del Golfo di Guinea. III - Ucelli di Anno-Bom e di Fernando Po". Memorie della Reale accademia delle scienze di Torino (in Italian). 53 (2): 93–125.
  9. ↑ Harrison, Michael J.S. (1990). "A Recent Survey of the Birds of Pagalu (Annobon)" (PDF). Malimbus. 11 (2). West African Ornithological Society: 135–143.
  10. 1 2 3 Stevenson, Terry; Fanshawe, John (2002). Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi. London, UK: TD & A Poyser. p. 200. ISBN 0-85661-079-8.
  11. 1 2 Kemp, Alan; Kemp, Meg (1998). SASOL Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands. New Holland. pp. 288–289. ISBN 1 85974 100 2.
  12. 1 2 König, Claus; Weick, Friedhelm (2008). Owls of the World. London, UK: Christopher Helm. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2.
  13. 1 2 Barlow, Clive; Wacher, Tim (1997). A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal. New Haven, CT, US: Yale University Press. p. 236. ISBN 0-300-11574-1.
  14. 1 2 3 König, Claus; Weick, Friedhelm; Becking, Jan-Hendrick (1999). Owls A Guide to the Owls of the World. Pica Press. pp. 231–232. ISBN 1-873403-74-7.