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 Common Scops-Owl (Otus scops).
scops (Linnaeus, 1758) - France, Italy and central Mediterranean islands east to Volga R, south to northern Greece, northern Turkey and Transcaucasia; intergrades with pulchellus.
pulchellus (Pallas, 1771) - Volga R east to L Baikal, south to Altai and Tien Shan.
mallorcae von Jordans, 1923 - Iberia, Balearic Is, north-western Africa (north-central Morocco to Tunisia).
cycladum (Tschusi, 1904) - Southern Greece and southern Asia Minor, south to central Israel and Jordan.
cyprius (Madarász, 1901) - Cyprus. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius).
turanicus (Loudon, 1905) - Iraq and Iran (and perhaps this subspecies south-eastern Turkey) east to north-western Pakistan.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7