Otus everetti
Everett's Scops Owl (Otus everetti) is a diminutive and elusive nocturnal raptor endemic to the Philippines, renowned for its masterful camouflage and haunting calls. Measuring approximately 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length with a wingspan of about 40-45 cm, it exhibits a cryptic, rufous or grayish-brown plumage, heavily streaked and vermiculated, perfectly blending with tree bark. Distinctive field marks include bright yellow eyes, prominent ear tufts that can be raised or lowered, and a pale...
This species primarily inhabits lowland and montane forests, often preferring dense secondary growth or mature forest edges. It can be found from sea level up to elevations of around 1,800 meters.
Its diet consists mainly of large insects such as moths, beetles, and crickets, supplemented with small vertebrates like geckos or frogs. It hunts primarily by perching and sallying or pouncing on ground-dwelling prey.
Everett's Scops Owl is strictly nocturnal, spending its days roosting motionless against tree trunks, perfectly camouflaged, often in dense canopy or vine-laden areas. At dusk, it emerges to hunt, employing a classic perch-and-pounce strategy, scanning for prey from a vantage point before swoopin...
Everett's Scops Owl is endemic to the Philippines, with a disjunct distribution across several major islands. Its primary range includes Mindanao, Leyte, Samar, and Biliran in the Visayas region. Isolated populations are also found on Luzon, particularly in the northern and central mountain range...
Least Concern
- Everett's Scops Owl is named after British colonial administrator and zoological collector Alfred Hart Everett, who collected the type specimen. - Despite its small size, it's a formidable nocturnal predator, capable of catching prey almost as large as itself. - Its remarkable camouflage allows...