Mountain Scops Owl

Otus spilocephalus (Blyth, 1846)

Mountain Scops Owl, Otus spilocephalus, is an owl of the Oriental Region, where it is widespread across much of south and southeast Asia. It occurs from Pakistan and the Himalayas in the north-west through to Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. In the eastern Himalayas, the nominate subspecies is marked by a more russet plumage. It is an altitudinal migrant. Its calls vary between geographic populations, and the female’s songs are seldom heard.

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae — Owls

Breeding range

Oriental Region: widespread