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Photo: Phillip Edwards / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Biak Scops Owl

Otus beccarii

Biak Scops Owl (Otus beccarii) — Owls of Australia & Oceania.

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The Biak Scops Owl (Otus beccarii) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 114 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Strigiformes
  3. Family Strigidae Owls
  4. Genus Otus
  5. Species beccarii

Where it lives

Biak (Geelvink Bay is., northwestern New Guinea)

Quick facts

Weight
114 g
Family
Strigidae
Order
Strigiformes
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Biak Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Biak Scops Owl (Otus beccarii) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Biak (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 114 g, with a wing length of about 15.2 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2,524 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Biak Scops Owl — Call

Recorded by Oscar Campbell Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Biak Scops Owl?

The Biak Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 114 g.

Where does the Biak Scops Owl live?

The Biak Scops Owl is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Biak (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Biak Scops Owl belong to?

The Biak Scops Owl (Otus beccarii) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.

Does the Biak Scops Owl migrate?

The Biak Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Biak Scops Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Biak Scops Owl make?

1 real field recording of the Biak Scops Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Biak Scops Owl's range?

The Biak Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 2,524 km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

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.

1 min read

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