Pemba Scops Owl (Otus pembaensis) [XC634009]
by Robrecht Debbaut, Jonas Pottier from Pemba North, Ngezi Forest edge, Tanzania (song)
Pemba Scops Owl (Otus pembaensis) [XC85881]
by Andrew Perkin from Ngezi Forest, Pemba, Tanzania (call)
Subspecies
Otus rutilus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Pemba Scops-Owl (Otus pembaensis) following Fry et al. (1988), Anjouan Scops-Owl (Otus capnodes) following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), and, more recently, into Torotoroka Scops Owl (Otus madagascariensis) and Mayotte Scops-Owl (Otus mayottensis) following Rasmussen et al. (2000) and Madagascar Scops-Owl (Otus rutilus) (with species limits accordingly revised).
Relationships unclear. Often treated as subspecies of Madagascar Scops-Owl (Otus rutilus).
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Barn Owl (Tyto alba), the only other owl on Pemba Island, is much larger and very different in appearance.
References
See References.