Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Giant Scops Owl
Otus gurneyi
Giant Scops Owl (Otus gurneyi) — Owls of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Giant Scops Owl (Otus gurneyi) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 370 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Otus
- Species gurneyi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 370 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Giant Scops Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Giant Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Giant Scops Owl (Otus gurneyi) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Samar, Dinagat, Siargao and Mindanao (Philippines).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 370 g, with a wing length of about 24 cm and a tail of around 11.4 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 108,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Giant Scops Owl?
The Giant Scops Owl is a large bird that weighs around 370 g.
Where does the Giant Scops Owl live?
The Giant Scops Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Samar, Dinagat, Siargao and Mindanao (Philippines), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Giant Scops Owl belong to?
The Giant Scops Owl (Otus gurneyi) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Giant Scops Owl eat?
The Giant Scops Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Giant Scops Owl migrate?
The Giant Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Giant 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 Giant Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Giant 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 Giant Scops Owl's range?
The Giant Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 108,000 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.