Reddish Scops Owl (Otus rufescens)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Reddish Scops Owl

Otus rufescens (Horsfield, 1821)

15–18 cmLength76 gWeight

The reddish scops owl (Otus rufescens) is an owl found in southeast Asia, in the countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

Busiest months: July · Most records: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: July · Most records: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand

Reddish Scops Owl has been recorded at 53 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Earth Lodge, Ulu MudaMalaysia84 records
  2. Taman Nasional Way KambasIndonesia83 records
  3. Taman Negara NP Kuala TahanMalaysia72 records
More places
  1. Sepilok – Rainforest Discovery CenterMalaysia67 records
  2. Danum Valley Borneo Rainforest LodgeMalaysia57 records
  3. Klias Forest Reserve – Klias Peat Swamp Field CentreMalaysia39 records
  4. Danum Valley Field CentreMalaysia39 records
  5. Jalan akses Way KananIndonesia36 records
  6. Menanggol RiverMalaysia32 records
  7. Kinabatangan River – Borneo Nature LodgeMalaysia27 records

Countries and regions with the most records

MalaysiaIndonesiaThailand

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 reddish scops owl (Otus rufescens) is an owl found in southeast Asia, in the countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

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

Questions

How big is the Reddish Scops Owl?

The Reddish Scops Owl is about 15–18 cm long and weighs around 76 g.

Where does the Reddish Scops Owl live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: Malay Peninsula and Greater Sundas. It is most often recorded in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

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

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Reddish Scops Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Reddish Scops Owl as Near Threatened.

What does the Reddish Scops Owl eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Reddish Scops Owl in?

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

At a glance

Length
15–18 cm
Weight
76 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
124 mm
Tail
61 mm
Bill
25 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

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

Range

Oriental: Malay Peninsula and Greater Sundas

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 sagittatusSerendib 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 longicornisMindoro Scops OwlMindoro Scops OwlOtus mindorensis
Reddish Scops Owl

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Wich’yanan (Jay) Limparungpatthanakij. ↗

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