Photo: WeitingLiu (weitingliu) / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ryukyu Scops Owl
Otus elegans
Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) — Owls of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 124 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 elegans
Where it lives
Ryukyu Is., Daito Is., and Okinoshima, off southern Kyushu (southern Japan) and Taiwan to far northern Philippines
Quick facts
- Weight
- 124 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ryukyu 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 Ryukyu Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Ryukyu Is., Daito Is., and Okinoshima, off s Kyushu (s Japan) and Taiwan to far n Philippines.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 124 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 7.5 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 4,014 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ryukyu Scops Owl?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 124 g.
Where does the Ryukyu Scops Owl live?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Ryukyu Is., Daito Is., and Okinoshima, off s Kyushu (s Japan) and Taiwan to far n Philippines, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Ryukyu Scops Owl belong to?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Ryukyu Scops Owl eat?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ryukyu Scops Owl migrate?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ryukyu 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 Ryukyu Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Ryukyu 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 Ryukyu Scops Owl's range?
The Ryukyu Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 4,014 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.