Photo: Vernon Swanepoel / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Scops Owl
Otus senegalensis
African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) — Owls of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 67 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Otus
- Species senegalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 67 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The African Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 67 g, with a wing length of about 13.1 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 13.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Scops Owl?
The African Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 67 g.
Where does the African Scops Owl live?
The African Scops Owl is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the African Scops Owl belong to?
The African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the African Scops Owl eat?
The African Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Scops Owl migrate?
The African Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Scops Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the African Scops Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Scops Owl's range?
The African Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 13.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.