Photo: Horsfield, 1821 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Reddish Scops Owl
Otus rufescens
Reddish Scops Owl (Otus rufescens) — Owls of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Reddish Scops Owl (Otus rufescens) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 76.5 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 rufescens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 76.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Reddish 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 Reddish Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Reddish Scops Owl (Otus rufescens) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen. and Greater Sundas.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 76.5 g, with a wing length of about 12.4 cm and a tail of around 6.1 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 887,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Reddish Scops Owl?
The Reddish Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 76.5 g.
Where does the Reddish Scops Owl live?
The Reddish Scops Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen. and Greater Sundas, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Reddish Scops Owl belong to?
The Reddish Scops Owl (Otus rufescens) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Reddish Scops Owl eat?
The Reddish Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Reddish Scops Owl migrate?
The Reddish Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Reddish 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 Reddish Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Reddish 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 Reddish Scops Owl's range?
The Reddish Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 887,000 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.