Sandy Scops-Owl
Otus icterorhynchus
Small owl of west and central African rainforest. Note the white slash on the shoulder, the small ear tufts, and the pale spots on the underparts. The overall color varies from brown in the western part of the range to cinnamon in the east. Local and scarce in lowland rainforest. Usually detected by its vocalization, a long descending whistle, repeated with pauses of several seconds. Fairly similar in appearance to African Scops-Owl, but is brown or rufous rather than gray, has spotted rather than striped underparts, and is found in different habitat.
Identification
A small owl which has an overall pale rufous colour, a plain face, a pale yellow bill and yellow eyes. The pale stripe along the shoulders is quite obvious. The adults are pale rufous brown, finely spotted with white and barred with buff. The underparts are paler and more rufous with buff bars and white spots on the belly and vent. The tail, flight feathers and greater upperwing coverts are rufous barred with black. Length is about 15 cm (5.9 in), and wingspan is 45 cm (18 in).<p>The sound is a long whistling "twooo" which descends in pitch.
Taxonomy
The sandy scops owl is thought to be basal in the lineage of the genus Otus, along with the Sokoke scops owl (Otus ireneae), but there has been no genetic material for testing from the sandy scops owl. In addition, some authorities consider that the subspecies of sandy scops owl should be treated as two different species.
- Scientific name
- Otus icterorhynchus
- Authority
- (Shelley, 1873)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Otus
Range and habitat
The sandy scops owl has a scattered distribution across the African tropical rainforest ; it has been recorded from Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic.<p>The sandy scops owl occurs in lowland evergreen forest, open canopy forest and scrub, or in open forest mosaic land.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The sandy scops owl is rarely seen and little is known about its habits. It is probably crepuscular and insectivorous feeding largely on grasshoppers and crickets. The breeding season is probably during February and March.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Daurian Redstart
Phoenicurus auroreus
Active and attractive songbird of open spaces. Breeds in open forests and scrubby vegetation in subalpine areas; winters in a wider altitudinal range in scrubby forest edges, gardens, and fields. Frequently bobs the orange-sided dark tail. Male sports a gray crown and nape, black face, orange underparts, and dark wings with a white wing patch. Females are brownish overall but share the male's bright tail and wing patch. Compare carefully with Common, Hodgson’s, and Black Redstarts. Song is a lively, jingling cascade of warbling; calls include a short, high-pitched whistle and a hard “tsak.”
Nicaraguan Seed-Finch
Sporophila nuttingi
What this bird lacks in color, it makes up for with a ridiculously oversized bill. Male is all glossy black, female warm brown. Male’s bill is huge and pink, female’s is equally huge but dark gray. Larger overall size than other seed-finches and seedeaters. Could be mistaken for Thick-billed Seed-Finch but even larger bill should help with identification; also note lack of a white patch in the wing. Found in open habitats, especially fields with some scattered shrubs.
Menetries's Warbler
Curruca mystacea
Small, pale gray-buff Curruca warbler. Often cocks its contrastingly dark tail while feeding on the ground. Males have a blackish hood (unlike bolder black hood of the similar Sardinian Warbler), gradually merging into paler neck and mantle. In all plumages wings very plain. Females and young have cold-toned underparts, lacking warmer flanks of Sardinian Warbler. Breeds in tamarisk scrub, vegetated desert, and semi-desert wadis. Winters in arid zones, desert wadis, and plains. Song a short scratchy whistle about 2-3 seconds long with longer pauses. Call a low "trrrrrr."
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