Otus alius
The Nicobar Scops Owl (Otus alius) is a diminutive and enigmatic nocturnal raptor, measuring approximately 20-22 cm (7.9-8.7 inches) in length with a wingspan rarely exceeding 50 cm. Its plumage is a finely mottled rufous-brown, intricately streaked and barred with darker brown and black, providing superb camouflage against tree bark. Distinctive field marks include prominent ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and often a pale, indistinct nuchal collar, aiding its blend into the tropical forest u...
This owl primarily inhabits dense evergreen and semi-evergreen tropical forests, including degraded secondary forests and plantations, from sea level up to low elevations.
Its diet consists predominantly of large insects such as moths, beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers, captured through aerial pursuits or gleaning.
The Nicobar Scops Owl is strictly nocturnal, spending its days camouflaged and roosting inconspicuously in dense foliage close to tree trunks. It is a classic sit-and-wait predator, perching quietly on low branches and sallying forth to snatch prey from leaves, branches, or the ground. These owls...
The Nicobar Scops Owl is an obligate resident of the Nicobar Islands, an archipelago in the eastern Indian Ocean. Its distribution is entirely confined to the central and southern groups of the Nicobar Islands, including Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar, Kondul, and several other smaller islands. It...
Vulnerable
- The Nicobar Scops Owl is one of the most geographically restricted owl species globally, being entirely endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. - It was only formally described as a distinct species in 1998, highlighting the ongoing discovery of biodiversity even in relatively well-studied gro...