African scops owl
| African scops owl | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Domain | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Subkingdom | Bilateria |
| Branch | Deuterostomia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Sub-phylum | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata |
| Class Information | |
| Superclass | Tetrapoda |
| Class | Aves |
| Sub-class | Neornithes |
| Infra-class | Neoaves |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Strigiformes |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Strigidae |
| Sub-family | Striginae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Otus |
| Species Information | |
| Species | O. senegalensis |
| Population statistics | |
| Population | Unknown[1] |
| Conservation status | Least concern[2] |
The African scops owl (Otus senegalensis) is a species of owl of the family Strigidae, and found throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara desert.
Description
The African scops owl is one of the smallest owls on the continent, with a body length of 6.7 inches, a weight of 1.5 to 3.5 ounces, and a wingspan of 18 inches. Females are slightly larger than males. The plumage is gray in color, and mottled with a bark-like appearance. The ear tufts are pronounced, but can be flattened against the head. The legs are feathered to the base of the gray-brown toes, the beak is dark, and the eyes have a yellow iris.
The call is a monosyllabic, rather frog-like "krurr", which lasts about 0.5 to 1 second and is repeated after 5 to 8 seconds.
Subspecies
- Otus senegalensis feae; Annobon Island (Gulf of Guinea)
- Otus senegalensis nivosus; southeastern Kenya (lower Tana River to Lali Hills)
- Otus senegalensis senegalensis; sub-Saharan Africa
Subspecies O. s. feae is regarded by some authorities as a distinct species, the Annobon scops owl (Otus feae).
Habitat
The habitat is made up of tree and shrubby savannahs and dry, light forests, up to an elevation of 6,600 feet. In the vicinity of human settlements, it is also found in or near gardens, parks, and tilled fields that have nearby wooded areas. Although found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa as far south as the Cape, it is not found in the Namib and Kalahari deserts, nor in the dense rain forest of the Congo basin.
Behavior and reproduction
The African scops owl is predominantly nocturnal, and especially active at dusk and dawn. During the day it lies hidden in dense foliage, well camouflaged by trunks or thick branches or in tree hollows. Pairs partly rest in close proximity, with the birds occasionally forming small colonies. Insects are the norm in their diet, but they will also prey on small reptiles, rodents and birds.
The bird is monogamous, and mates for life. Paired birds occasionally call in duet during courtship. The female usually lays 2 to 4 white eggs when nesting, and incubates them alone, while the male provides the food. After about 27 days the chicks hatch, and are fledged some 30 days later. Both parents continue to feed the chicks until they are 60 days old.
Threats
Overall, the African scops owl is classified as "least concern" by the ICUN; it is believed to be stable throughout its very large range, despite habitat loss due to agriculture. The one notable exception is Annobon Island subspecies; severe habitat loss has left this bird with a population of less than 250 individuals and a classification of "critically endangered" by the ICUN[3][4].
