Meet the Cute Indian Scops Owl
#intothewildwithrufus #birding
As part of our birding trek quite early into the morning - off the banks of the River Cauvery - into wilder landscapes deep into the dense forests of Karnataka, we were all so delighted to spot a pair of the Indian Scops Owl, - so beautifully sleeping – albeit camouflaged – ensconced in one of the unreachably high branches of the majestic Arjuna tree!
Yes, its plumage pattern is designed in such a way that enables it to disappear against tree trunks.
And well, the first thing that intrigued me was the meaning of the word ‘Scops’ 😊
Looking up the etymology, I was in for a surprise!
The name ‘Scops’ comes from the Ancient Greek word skops which was used specifically to describe a ‘small-horned owl’ or a ‘little-eared owl.’
In the context of the Scops Owl, the word ‘scops’ comes from the Ancient Greek to specifically describe a ‘small horned owl’ or a ‘little eared owl.’
My ready-resort this time was the lovely field guide titled, Owls of the World by Claus Konig and Friedhelm Weick, published in the year 2008.
The book contains 520 plus pages of such solid information on almost all the owl species across the world. I was surprised to know that, there are more than 50 species of ‘Scops Owl’ across the world, with local prenominals tagging to their names.
Konig and Weick explain the rationale for this book on Owls in their Introduction to the book, which looks quite informative. Hence reproducing a small chunk from the Introduction for us all -
Owls are fascinating birds. Most species spend the day hidden in the dense foliage of trees, in holes or in the dusky attics of large buildings.
Normally humans, as diurnal beings, are only conscious of their presence from their vocalisations.
Because of their nocturnal habits, owls have been
regarded by superstitious people as birds of ill omen, although the Greeks
considered them wise.
The Little Owl Athene noctua, abundant in the Mediterranean, was given its generic name Athene because of its association with the Greek goddess of wisdom, Pallas Athene, the patron deity of Athens.
An increasing number of ornithologists (amateur and professional) go out at dusk or before dawn in order to study owls in the wild. Groups of owl enthusiasts in many countries exchange the results of their investigations and international meetings of owl specialists are no longer rare.
Many bird books are published every year but owls are treated cursorily in most of them. Books devoted to the order are rare and none of them deals with all the species. This demonstrates a lack of information on owl taxonomy and stresses the fact that it is still very difficult to identify several species correctly,
and hence this book, they opine!
They also list out meticulously on the 51 species of Scops Owl as follows -
1. White-fronted Scops Owl
2.
Reddish Scops Owl
3.
Serendib Scops Owl
4.
Cinnamon Scops Owl
5.
Sokoke Scops Owl
6.
Andaman Scops Owl
7.
Flores Scops Owl
8.
Stresemann’s Scops Owl
9.
Mountain Scops Owl
10.
Javan Scops Owl
11.
Mindanao Scops Owl
12.
Luzon Scops Owl
13.
Mindoro Scops Owl
14.
São Tomé Scops Owl
15.
Malagasy Scops Owl
16.
Torotoroka Scops Owl
17.
Mayotte Scops Owl
18.
Grand Comoro Scops Owl
19.
Anjouan Scops Owl
20.
Mohéli Scops Owl
21.
Pemba Scops Owl
22.
Common Scops Owl
23.
Pallid Scops Owl
24.
Arabian Scops Owl
25.
Socotra Scops Owl
26.
African Scops Owl
27.
Oriental Scops Owl
28.
Elegant Scops Owl
29.
Moluccan Scops Owl
30.
Wetar Scops Owl
31.
Sula Scops Owl
32.
Biak Scops Owl
33.
Kalidupa Scops Owl
34.
Sulawesi Scops Owl
35.
Siau Scops Owl
36.
Sangihe Scops Owl
37.
Mantanani Scops Owl
38.
Seychelles Scops Owl
39.
Nicobar Scops Owl
40.
Simeulue Scops Owl
41.
Enggano Scops Owl
42.
Mentawai Scops Owl
43.
Rajah Scops Owl
44.
Sunda Scops Owl
45.
Singapore Scops Owl
46.
Collared Scops Owl
47.
Indian Scops Owl
48.
Japanese Scops Owl
49.
Philippine Scops Owl
50.
Palawan Scops Owl
51.
Wallace’s Scops Owl
The Indian Scops Owl has dark brown eyes. It gives more yelping, unmelodious notes with upward inflection, such as wuatt or what?
IDENTIFICATION: A medium-sized (20–22cm) sandybrown or buffish-brown owl, spotted and mottled dark brown and black, with rounded wings and large conspicuous ear-tufts. Facial disc prominently bordered blackish.
DISTRIBUTION: S Pakistan, possibly SE Iran (old record from Oman doubtful), NW Himalayas, India east to W Bengal, including Himalayas from Kashmir east to C Nepal, and south to Sri Lanka.
MOVEMENTS: In general resident, possibly partly migratory.
HABITAT: Forest and secondary woodland, desert vegetation, and groups of densely foliaged trees in gardens, mango orchards and other fruit trees around villages and cultivation. From lowlands to 2200 m.
HABITS: Strictly nocturnal. Rarely seen during daytime, when it hides up in thickly foliaged trees.
FOOD: Mainly insects, including beetles and grasshoppers among others, but occasionally vertebrates such as lizards, mice and small birds.
BREEDING: Nests in cavities in trees, usually at moderate height. Eggs 3–4, white and roundish:
STATUS AND CONSERVATION: Widespread, and locally common.
You may also want to read about the Huge Brown Wood Owl, (that we spotted in Hunsur), on our past blogpost HERE.
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