Photo: Julien Renoult / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cyprus Scops Owl
Otus cyprius
Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius) — Owls of Europe & Northern Asia.
The Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 92 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 cyprius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 92 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cyprus 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 Cyprus Scops Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Cyprus.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 92 g, with a wing length of about 14.7 cm and a tail of around 6.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9,272 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cyprus Scops Owl?
The Cyprus Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 92 g.
Where does the Cyprus Scops Owl live?
The Cyprus Scops Owl is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Cyprus, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cyprus Scops Owl belong to?
The Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Cyprus Scops Owl eat?
The Cyprus Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cyprus Scops Owl migrate?
The Cyprus Scops Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Cyprus 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 Cyprus Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Cyprus 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 Cyprus Scops Owl's range?
The Cyprus Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 9,272 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Strigidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Owls
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.