Mountain Scops-Owl

Otus spilocephalus hambroecki

Endemic subspecies

The Mountain Scops-Owl is a small (18 cm) owl, dark brown above with a pale collar around the hind-neck, and a row of black-tipped, silver-white spots on the scapulars, forming a line above the wing on the resting bird.  Its facial disc is pale buff and very distinct, and its ear-tufts are long and bicoloured brown and pale buff.  The breast is buffy and finely streaked.  The iris is yellow, the bill whitish-buff and the feet are gray.  The Taiwan race hambroecki is darker brown than continental forms, and its facial pattern and nuchal collar are more distinct.

The Mountain Scops-Owl feeds mainly on large insects such as moths, beetles and cicadas, and will also take small rodents and birds.  It hunts mainly in the lower levels of the forest, and is strictly nocturnal.  It prefers dense mixed broadleaf evergreen forest, and in Taiwan is a common resident in mountains at moderate elevations.  Its distinctive two-note whistle “plew-plew” or “he-he” is repeated every 5-10 seconds .

References:  Handbook of Birds of the World Vol. 5; A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Mackinnon and Phillipps); 100 Common Birds of Taiwan (Wild Bird Society of Taipei); N. J. Collar, “Endemic subspecies of Taiwan birds—first impressions”, in Birding ASIA, Number 2, December 2004