The Indian scops owl (Otus bakkamoena ) is a resident species of owl native to South Asia.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
Animal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withThe Indian scops owl is a small 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) owl, although it is one of the largest of the scops owls. Like other scops owls, it has small head tufts, or ears. The upperparts are grey or brown, depending on the morph, with faint buff spotting. The underparts are buff with fine darker streaking. The facial disc is whitish or buff, and the eyes are orange or brown. There is a buff neckband. Sexes are similar. The flight is deeply undulating.
This species is very similar to the slightly larger partially migratory collared scops owl Otus lettia and the oriental scops owl Otus sunia. They can be separated on call and eye colour.
The species occurs from eastern Arabia through the Indian Subcontinent, except the far north.
The Indian scops owl is nocturnal. Through its natural camouflage, it is very difficult to see in daytime, but may sometimes be located by the small birds that mob it while it is roosting in a tree. It feeds mainly on insects. The call is a soft single note ("whuk?" ). It nests in tree holes, laying 3–5 eggs.