Serendib Scops Owl

Otus thilohoffmanni Warakagoda & Rasmussen, 2004

Strigidae — Owls

Serendib Scops Owl, Otus thilohoffmanni, is an owl of Sri Lanka in the Oriental Region, where it breeds in the southern and south-western rainforests. It was described by Warakagoda and Rasmussen in 2004. Its most notable feature is that it lacks ear-tufts, unlike the other two Sri Lankan scops owls, and its facial disc is only weakly marked. It was first traced through its unfamiliar call in Kitulgala, then later confirmed in Sinharaja, and has also been recorded at Runakanda Reserve in Morapitiya and at Eratna Gilimale.

Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae — Owls
Breeding range: Oriental Region: Sri Lanka

Tours where you can spot this bird

2 tours in Sri Lanka

Private 14-Day Sri Lanka Absolute Birding Tour

Sri Lanka / Kitulgala Private tour 14 days

A private 14-day route through Sri Lanka’s rainforests, wetlands, dry-zone parks and central highlands, designed around endemic and region...

Private 7-14 Day Sri Lanka Endemic Birding Tour

Sri Lanka / Colombo Private tour 7 days

Plan a private 7–14 day Sri Lanka birding circuit across rainforest, highlands, dry-zone parks and wetlands, tailored to endemic targets....