Mountain Scops-Owl
Otus spilocephalus
Small brown owl of hilly and montane broadleaf forests, rarely in parks and gardens. Dark brown above, paler on the underparts and face, with bright yellow eyes. Prominent bright white stripe between back and wings is more contrasting than in other owls in its range. Brows are frosty white, as in larger Collared Scops-Owl, but ear tufts much shorter in Mountain. Song is a long series of soft double hoots, with 5-10 second pauses between each pair of notes.
Identification
The mountain scops owl (Otus spilocephalus), sometimes referred to as the spotted scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. Its range extends across much of south and southeast Asia, from Pakistan and the Himalayas in the northwest, through Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia in the east and south. The nominate subspecies of the eastern Himalayas has a distinct more russet plumage. It is an altitudinal migrant. The owls have a short high-pitched call like a two-note whistle, "plew-plew" or "he-he", although the female's songs are rarely heard. Their calls also differ between geographic population.
Taxonomy
Genus: Otus; Family: Strigidae; Order: Strigiformes.
- Scientific name
- Otus spilocephalus
- Authority
- (Blyth, 1846)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Otus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
Migration pattern: Vertical migration.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Streaked Tit-Spinetail
Leptasthenura striata
Fairly common on western slopes of the Andes and in interior valleys, favoring drier habitats with weedy brush on rocky slopes, and also agricultural areas with hedges and thickets. Often in pairs, foraging low in weedy brush, where can be hard to see well; agile and often active, clinging upside down at tips of branches. Identified by boldly streaked crown and back, weakly patterned or mostly plain underparts, and very long spiky-tipped tail. Compare with the bulkier Andean Tit-Spinetail (local overlap in Peru).
Vigors's Sunbird
Aethopyga vigorsii
This medium-sized sunbird of the Western Ghats is similar in appearance to Crimson Sunbird, but the two ranges do not overlap. Male is bright red with a gray belly and iridescent blue-green tail and head markings. Female is dull gray overall with a paler belly. Young males are similarly dull, but often have dull red patches, particularly on the breast. Forages actively in small flocks in upper levels of foothill forest and forest edge. Squeaky song and high “seep” calls comparable to Crimson Sunbird.
Greater Lophorina
Lophorina latipennis
A fairly large bird of mid-montane forest, including disturbed areas with Casuarinas. Male, mainly black plumage with 2 remarkable erectile fans which are lifted up over the head during its display, metallic, blue-green, trapezium-shaped breast shield and patches above the eyes. Female has a gray-brown back with rufous flight feathers, barred underparts, a broad, black eye-stripe and white eye-brow. Female similar to female parotias, but is slightly smaller and has a dark eye. Female also similar to female Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise but is larger and has a black bill. The male’s yellow-green interior of the mouth is visible whilst it gives its piercing nasal screech.
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