Afghanistan (B), Egypt, India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B), Iraq (B) (NB), Israel (B) (NB), Jordan (NB), Kazakhstan (B), Lebanon, Oman (B), Pakistan (B), Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic (B), Tajikistan (B), Turkey (B) (NB), Turkmenistan (B), United Arab Emirates (B) (NB), Uzbekistan (B).
Vagrant to Bahrain, Yemen.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Pallid Scops Owl (Otus brucei) [XC44545]
by Patrick Franke from Khatmat Milalah, Oman (call, territorial call of male)
Pallid Scops Owl (Otus brucei) [XC120356]
by from Takhirkol, Kazakhstan (copula)
Subspecies
Probably forms superspecies with African Scops-Owl (Otus senegalensis), Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops), Oriental Scops-Owl (Otus sunia) and Flammulated Owl (Psiloscops flammeolus). Has often been considered subspecies of Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops) or Oriental Scops-Owl (Otus sunia), but significant differences in voice and morphology, and no hybridization in areas of range overlap. Socotran form socotranus and Arabian pamelae currently placed with African Scops-Owl (Otus senegalensis), but sometimes included with present species, or may be specifically distinct. Geographical boundaries of subspecies unclear, with apparent intergradation, and individuals showing intermediate characters (e.g. between obsoletus and exiguus). Turkish birds sometimes placed in exiguus; obsoletus and semenowi sometimes considered only intergrades between subspecies.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
brucei (Hume, 1873) - Eastern Aral Sea to Kirgizia and Tadjikistan.
semenowi (Zarudny & Härms, 1902) - Southern Tadjikistan and western China (east to central Tarim Basin) south to eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan.
exiguus Mukherjee, 1958 - Israel (extinct as breeder), central and eastern Iraq, southern Iran, Oman, southern Afghanistan, western Pakistan.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet