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Negros scops owl

Negros scops owl

Wikipedia

The Negros scops owl, also known as the Visayan scops owl, is an owl, endemic to the islands of Negros and Panay in the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. It has a distinct and striking rufous or reddish brown crown, nape and face. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Philippine scops owl. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting for the pet trade.

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Distribution

Region

Central Philippines (Western Visayas)

Typical Environment

Occurs in remaining primary and mature secondary forests on Negros and Panay, favoring dense understory and forest edges. It uses bamboo thickets, riparian corridors, and clearings near forest, but is most common where canopy cover remains intact. Roosts by day close to trunks or in vine tangles, relying on cryptic plumage. Where habitat persists, it may be locally fairly common, but is absent from heavily degraded lowlands.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1700 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size20–23 cm
Wing Span45–55 cm
Male Weight0.1 kg
Female Weight0.11 kg
Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Also called the Visayan scops owl, it is confined to the Philippine islands of Negros and Panay and was once treated as a subspecies of the Philippine scops owl. Its prominent ear tufts and rufous facial disc help break up its outline when roosting against tree bark. It is threatened by rapid forest loss and some trapping for the pet trade, making intact forest crucial for its survival.

Gallery

Bird photo
Bird photo
A roosting Negros scops owl in Liptong Woodland

A roosting Negros scops owl in Liptong Woodland

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with silent glides between perches

Social Behavior

Typically encountered alone or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Likely monogamous, nesting in natural cavities, old woodpecker holes, or tree hollows lined with vegetation. Clutch size is small, and both adults defend the nest area with distraction displays and soft calls.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Gives a series of soft, whistled hoots, often a repeated single or double note spaced at regular intervals. Duetting between pair members occurs at dusk and night, with notes carrying through forest edges but remaining mellow and ventriloquial.

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