Oriental Scops Owl

Scientific Name: Otus sunia
Malay Name: Jampuk Kecil Asia
Chinese Name: 红角鸮

Range:
Found from northeastern Pakistan to the Indian subcontinent, China, southeastern Siberia, Japan, Korea and Indochina with the northern populations wintering south to the Thai-Malay Peninsula and Sumatra

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: japonicus, stictonotus, malayanus, sunia, distans, rufipennis, leggei, modestus, nicobaricus.

Local Subspecies: malayanus

Size: 19 cm

Identification:
Adult greyish morph resembles Sunda Scops Owl but is smaller and has greyish-brown upperparts and head, bold dark streaks on whitish underparts, yellowish eyes and blackish bill. Adult rufous morph resembles greyish morph but has orange-rufous upperparts and head.

Similar looking species: Sunda Scops Owl

Habitat: Forest, forest edge, secondary growth, wooded areas, parks and gardens.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feeds mainly on insects and spiders.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2021)

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Past accepted records in our database: (not a complete listing)

Greyish morph Oriental Scops Owl at Bidadari. Photo Credit: Lawrence Cher

Greyish morph Oriental Scops Owl at Bidadari. Photo Credit: Raymond Siew

Greyish morph Oriental Scops Owl at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Greyish morph Oriental Scops Owl at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai

Rufous morph Oriental Scops Owl at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Rufous morph Oriental Scops Owl at Dairy Farm Nature Park. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai