Pemba Scops-Owl (Otus pembaensis)

Other Names (World)
Pemba Scops-Owl, Russet Scops-owl, Pemba Scops Owl

Family
Strigidae (Typical Owls)

Size
21 cm

First Described (Guide)
Pakenham, 1937

Habitat
Dense areas in clove and mango plantations, but much more common in native, primary forest. From sea-level - 79 m.

Range (Guide)

Tanzania [United Republic of] (B).

Pemba I, off northern Tanzania.

Population
Estimated population is 3,000 (2010) and decreasing.

Status VU
Habitat conversion is the main threat.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
A 'hoo' repeated in a long sequence at intervals of 0.5-1 second. Pairs duet, with note of male shorter, and lower in pitch.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (17)...)

Pemba Scops Owl (Otus pembaensis) [XC448977]
by Rolf A. de By from Ngezi Forest, Pemba, Tanzania (duet, song)

Pemba Scops Owl (Otus pembaensis) [XC634011]
by Rolf A. de By from Pemba North, Ngezi Forest edge, Tanzania (song)

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.

Files:

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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