African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis (Swainson, 1837)

17 cmLength67 gWeight

The African scops owl (Otus senegalensis) is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.

Busiest months: August–November · Most records: South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

African Scops Owl has been recorded at 257 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 30 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa491 records
  2. Tarangire NP – Tarangire Safari LodgeTanzania259 records
  3. Tarangire NPTanzania184 records
More places
  1. Kruger NP – Letaba CampSouth Africa177 records
  2. Etosha NP – Halali CampNamibia167 records
  3. Mole NP – Asibey Loop/Haraba track vicinityGhana163 records
  4. Kruger NP – Berg-en-Dal CampSouth Africa122 records
  5. Lake Baringo – West ShoreKenya119 records
  6. Mole NPGhana116 records
  7. Hobatere – LodgeNamibia116 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaTanzaniaNamibiaKenyaGhanaBotswanaGambiaUganda

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The African scops owl (Otus senegalensis) is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Scops Owl?

The African Scops Owl is about 17 cm long and weighs around 67 g.

Where does the African Scops Owl live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Tanzania and Namibia.

When is the best time to see the African Scops Owl?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August, September, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Scops Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Scops Owl as Least Concern.

What does the African Scops Owl eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the African Scops Owl in?

It belongs to the family Owls (Strigidae), order Strigiformes.

At a glance

Length
17 cm
Weight
67 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
131 mm
Tail
61 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
24 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Owls Strigidae
Genus
Otus

Other birds in the genus Otus

Giant Scops OwlGiant Scops OwlOtus gurneyiWhite-fronted Scops OwlWhite-fronted Scops OwlOtus sagittatusReddish Scops OwlReddish Scops OwlOtus rufescensSerendib Scops OwlSerendib Scops OwlOtus thilohoffmanniSandy Scops OwlSandy Scops OwlOtus icterorhynchusSokoke Scops OwlSokoke Scops OwlOtus ireneaeAndaman Scops OwlAndaman Scops OwlOtus balliFlores Scops OwlFlores Scops OwlOtus alfrediMountain Scops OwlMountain Scops OwlOtus spilocephalusJavan Scops OwlJavan Scops OwlOtus angelinaeMindanao Scops OwlMindanao Scops OwlOtus mirusLuzon Scops OwlLuzon Scops OwlOtus longicornis
African Scops Owl

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Mikael Bauer. ↗

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