Sunda Scops Owl

The Sunda scops owl (Otus lempiji) is a small brown owl native to the Sunda Islands. == Taxonomy == The taxon is considered a subspecies of O. bakkamoena by some authors. == Description == It grows from 20 to 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in) and can weigh 100 to 170 g (3.5 to 6.0 oz). It is speckled with black on the upper parts and streaked with black on the lower parts. It has a light collar and dark eyes, which differentiate it from the reddish scops, mountain scops, Oriental scops and Rajah scops owls. == Distribution and habitat == It lives on the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It can be found primarily in forests and gardens but is occasionally attracted to buildings. == Diet == The diet of the Sunda scops owl mainly consists of insects, as well as small animals. Some examples of the prey they hunt are rats, small fish, lizards, crickets, and beetles’ larvae. However, their most preferred prey are rats. == Conservation == It has been included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species as a least concern species. It is common throughout its range where there is suitable habitat.…