Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Moluccan Scops Owl
Otus magicus
Moluccan Scops Owl (Otus magicus) — Owls of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Moluccan Scops Owl (Otus magicus) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 165 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 magicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 165 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 Moluccan Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Moluccan Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Moluccan Scops Owl (Otus magicus) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Moluccas and Lesser Sundas.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 165 g, with a wing length of about 15.3 cm and a tail of around 7.9 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 84,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Moluccan Scops Owl?
The Moluccan Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 165 g.
Where does the Moluccan Scops Owl live?
The Moluccan Scops Owl is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Moluccas and Lesser Sundas, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Moluccan Scops Owl belong to?
The Moluccan Scops Owl (Otus magicus) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Moluccan Scops Owl eat?
The Moluccan Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Moluccan Scops Owl migrate?
The Moluccan Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Moluccan 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 Moluccan Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Moluccan 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 Moluccan Scops Owl's range?
The Moluccan Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 84,000 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.