Enggano scops owl

Enggano scops owl
CITES Appendix II [2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Otus
Species:
O. enganensis
Binomial name
Otus enganensis
Riley, 1927

The Enggano scops owl (Otus enganensis) is an owl endemic to Enggano Island, Indonesia.

Morphology

The Enggano scops owl is a chestnut colored owl with lighter areas on the throat and cheeks and a whitish "X" on the face[3] It is similar in appearance to the Simeulue scops owl (Otus umbra), with a large bill and white barring on the flanks. It is slightly smaller that the Oriental scops owl (Otus sunia).[3] The wingspan of the type specimen measured 14.2cm.[4]

Distribution and behavior

The Enggano scops owl exclusively inhabits Enggano island in Indonesia. It is found in forests and at forest edges. It has a deep and throaty call.[3]

Description and taxonomy

The type specimen of Otus enganensis.

The Enggano scops owl was described by the American ornithologist Joseph Harvey Riley in 1927 based on a museum specimen. It was initially described as a subspecies of the Simeulue scops owl, Otus umbra[4] but is now considered to be a distinct species. The type specimen is held at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.[5]

Human interactions

During an avian survey conducted on Enggano Island in 2020 local villagers were asked about the use of the island's bird species. The Enggano scops owl was not one of the species hunted by locals.[6]

Recordings of Enggano scops owl vocalizations

Photographs of the type specimen

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2023). "Otus enganensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T22724390A226422700. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T22724390A226422700.en.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 "Enggano Scops-Owl - eBird". ebird.org. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  4. 1 2 Riley, J. H. (30 June 1927). "Description of a New Owl from Engano Island". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 40: 93–94.
  5. ↑ "Record Otus umbra enganensis Riley | Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution". collections.si.edu. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  6. ↑ Iqbal, Muhammad; Kuswanto, Adi; Jarulis, Jarulis; Rifki, Istiya (2020-09-25). "Notes on a visit to Enggano Island, Sumatra, Indonesia, in early 2020". BirdingAsia. 33: 13–16.