Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Wallace’s Scops Owl
Otus silvicola
Wallace's Scops Owl (Otus silvicola) — Owls of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wallace’s Scops Owl (Otus silvicola) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 212 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 silvicola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 212 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 Wallace’s 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 Wallace’s Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Wallace’s Scops Owl (Otus silvicola) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sumbawa and Flores (w, c Lesser Sundas).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 212 g, with a wing length of about 21.6 cm and a tail of around 10 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 28,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wallace’s Scops Owl?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl is a large bird that weighs around 212 g.
Where does the Wallace’s Scops Owl live?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sumbawa and Flores (w, c Lesser Sundas), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Wallace’s Scops Owl belong to?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl (Otus silvicola) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Wallace’s Scops Owl eat?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Wallace’s Scops Owl migrate?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Wallace’s 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 Wallace’s Scops Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Wallace’s 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 Wallace’s Scops Owl's range?
The Wallace’s Scops Owl has a mapped global range of about 28,000 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.