African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) [XC44210]
by Gabriel A. Jamie from Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda (call)
African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) [XC387639]
by Tony Archer from Adelaide, Amatole, Eastern Cape, South Africa (call)
Subspecies
Otus scops (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into African Scops-Owl (Otus senegalensis) following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Oriental Scops-Owl (Otus sunia) following AOU (1998), Nicobar Scops-Owl (Otus alius) following Rassmussen (1998) and Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops) (with species limits accordingly revised).
Probably forms superspecies with Pallid Scops-Owl (Otus brucei), Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops), Oriental Scops-Owl (Otus sunia) and Flammulated Owl (Psiloscops flammeolus). Formerly considered conspecific with Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops), but separated specifically on basis of differences in voice, plumage and size. Subspecies socotranus and pamelae sometimes placed with Pallid Scops-Owl (Otus brucei), but closer to present species, or may even be specifically distinct. Several additional subspecies described on basis of differences in plumage, morphology and/or size. Populations from central Ethiopia to Somalia and northern Kenya, from north-eastern Zaire and western Uganda, and from Swaziland and eastern Cape Province sometimes separated as, respectively, caecus, ugandae and latipennis, but probably only colour morphs. Birds described from southern Sudan and north-western Ethiopia (pygmea), eastern Kenya and Tanzania (graueri), Angola east to Malawi (hendersonii), eastern Malawi to northern Mozambique (pusillus) and Namibia to northern Natal and southern Mozambique (intermedius) poorly differentiated and seem to fall within range of variation of nominate.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
senegalensis (Swainson, 1837) - From Senegal and Sierra Leone east to north-western Ethiopia and Somalia, southern (except in south-eastern Kenya) to south-eastern South Africa.
pamelae Bates, 1937 - Southern Saudi Arabia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Arabian Scops-Owl (Otus pamelae).
socotranus (Ogilvie-Grant and Forbes, 1899) - Socotra I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Socotra Scops-Owl (Otus socotranus).
feae (Salvadori, 1903) - Annobon I (Pagalu), in southern Gulf of Guinea. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Annobon Scops-Owl (Otus feae).
nivosus Keith & Twomey, 1968 - South-eastern Kenya (lower Tana R to Lali Hills).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet