Annobón scops owl
| Annobón scops owl | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Otus |
| Species: | O. feae |
| Binomial name | |
| Otus feae (Salvadori, 1903) | |
.svg.png) | |
| Location of Annobón | |
The Annobón scops owl (Otus feae) is a critically endangered owl endemic to the Equatorial Guinean island of Annobón. The current population is estimated to be around 50-249 individuals, with the population declining due to habitat alteration and destruction.[1] When describing the species in 1903, Tommaso Salvadori noted that the birds were abundant in wooded areas at altitudes of 400–500 metres on the island.[3] Few sightings of the bird have been reported since then.[4]
Little is known about the Annobón scops owl. It is morphologically similar to the African scops owl (Otus senegalensis), but is distinguished by a smaller wing length (about 120–135 mm),[5] shorter tarsi,[6] a longer tail,[6] and paler underwing barring.[6] The call of the Annobón scops owl is of a higher pitch than that of O. senegalensis with longer notes and more frequent oscillations.[6]
The Annobón scops owl is currently treated as a distinct species from the African scops owl, however genetic analysis performed in 2019 found little divergence between the two species.[7]
References
- 1 2 BirdLife International (2018) [amended version of 2017 assessment]. "Otus feae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018 e.T61915272A125407816. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T61915272A125407816.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ↑ Salvadori, Tommaso (1903). "Contribuzioni alla ornitologia delle Isole del Golfo di Guinea. III - Ucelli di Anno-Bom e di Fernando Po". Memorie della Reale accademia delle scienze di Torino (in Italian). 53 (2): 93–125. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
- ↑ Harrison, Michael J.S. (1990). "A Recent Survey of the Birds of Pagalu (Annobon)" (PDF). Malimbus. 11 (2). West African Ornithological Society: 135–143. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
- ↑ "Annobon Scops-owl (Otus feae)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 Collar, N; Boesman, Peter (2020-09-01). "The taxonomic status of Annobón Scops Owl Otus feae and Arabian Scops Owl O. pamelae". The Bulletin of the African Bird Club. 27: 159–167.
- ↑ Freitas, Bárbara (2019-10-29). The mystery Scops owl of Príncipe Island: combining evidence for a species description and assessment of its conservation status (PDF) (Thesis).