Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eurasian Scops Owl
Otus scops
Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) — Owls of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) 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 scops
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 Eurasian 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 Eurasian Scops Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w, c.
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 8.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eurasian Scops Owl?
The Eurasian Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 92 g.
Where does the Eurasian Scops Owl live?
The Eurasian Scops Owl is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Eurasian Scops Owl belong to?
The Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Eurasian Scops Owl eat?
The Eurasian Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Eurasian Scops Owl migrate?
The Eurasian Scops Owl is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Eurasian 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 Eurasian Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Eurasian Scops Owl — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eurasian Scops Owl's range?
The Eurasian Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 8.8 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.