Photo: Kinaganizutto / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sunda Scops Owl
Otus lempiji
Sunda Scops Owl (Otus lempiji) — 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 Sunda Scops Owl (Otus lempiji) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 115 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 lempiji
Where it lives
Greater Sundas, Con Son I. (Vietnam), Bangka and Belitung (east of southern Sumatra), northern Natuna Is. (northwest of Borneo), Kangean Is. (north of Bali)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 115 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 Sunda Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sunda Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sunda Scops Owl (Otus lempiji) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Greater Sundas, Con Son I. (Vietnam), Bangka and Belitung (e of s Sumatra), n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo), Kangean Is. (n of Bali).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 115 g, with a wing length of about 14.5 cm and a tail of around 6.9 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 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sunda Scops Owl?
The Sunda Scops Owl is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 115 g.
Where does the Sunda Scops Owl live?
The Sunda Scops Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Greater Sundas, Con Son I. (Vietnam), Bangka and Belitung (e of s Sumatra), n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo), Kangean Is. (n of Bali), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sunda Scops Owl belong to?
The Sunda Scops Owl (Otus lempiji) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Sunda Scops Owl eat?
The Sunda Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sunda Scops Owl migrate?
The Sunda Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sunda 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 Sunda Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Sunda 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 Sunda Scops Owl's range?
The Sunda Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 1.5 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.