Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sandy Scops Owl
Otus icterorhynchus
Sandy Scops Owl (Otus icterorhynchus) — Owls of Africa.
The Sandy Scops Owl (Otus icterorhynchus) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 73.3 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 icterorhynchus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 73.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sandy 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 Sandy Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sandy Scops Owl (Otus icterorhynchus) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 73.3 g, with a wing length of about 12.9 cm and a tail of around 7.6 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 671,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sandy Scops Owl?
The Sandy Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 73.3 g.
Where does the Sandy Scops Owl live?
The Sandy Scops Owl is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sandy Scops Owl belong to?
The Sandy Scops Owl (Otus icterorhynchus) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Sandy Scops Owl eat?
The Sandy Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sandy Scops Owl migrate?
The Sandy Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sandy 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.
How large is the Sandy Scops Owl's range?
The Sandy Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 671,000 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.