Reddish Scops Owl

The reddish scops owl (Otus rufescens) is an owl found in southeast Asia, in the countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. == Description == The reddish scops owl measures 15-18 cm in length and has a body mass of 70-83 g. Body is generally a red-brown, with paler face and ear tufts. Displays black spotting across chest, and white spotting along back and wings; juveniles appear similar to adult individuals, but with less spotting. The call of the owl is a whistling “hooo," which is repeated in 7-11 second intervals. The calls of this species are able to be reliably sexed, with males having a higher pitched call than females. == Taxonomy == The reddish scops owl was first described by Thomas Horsfield in 1821 under the binomial Strix rufescens. The owl has two subspecies: O. r. malayensis O. r. rufescens == Habitat == The reddish scops owl lives in lowland regions including rainforests and swamps. The owl does not migrate, and primarily inhabits a home range of 1.31–2.16 hectares. == Conservation Status == The reddish scops owl is evaluated by the IUCN as near threatened, and its population is believed to be decreasing. The primary threat to these…