Photo: artist - Miller / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Oriental Scops Owl
Otus sunia
Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) — Owls of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 78.1 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 sunia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 78.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Oriental 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 Oriental Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR widespread, also e Asia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 78.1 g, with a wing length of about 14.3 cm and a tail of around 6.2 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 7.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Oriental Scops Owl?
The Oriental Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 78.1 g.
Where does the Oriental Scops Owl live?
The Oriental Scops Owl is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR widespread, also e Asia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Oriental Scops Owl belong to?
The Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Oriental Scops Owl eat?
The Oriental Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Oriental Scops Owl migrate?
The Oriental Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Oriental 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 Oriental Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Oriental 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 Oriental Scops Owl's range?
The Oriental Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 7.3 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.