Karthala Scops Owl
The Comoro Scops Owl ( Otus pauliani ), also referred to as Komoreneule, is a rare owl species of the genus Scops owls. It is endemic to the Comorian island of Grande Comore. The specific epithet honors the French zoologist Renaud Paulian ( 1913-2003 ).
Description
The Comoro Scops Owl reaches a length of about 15 to 20 centimeters. The weight is in the male about 70 grams. The Comoro Scops Owl is found in a bright and a dark morph. The ear tufts are very small and difficult to discern in the field observation. The face veil is gray or brown with white speckles, some dark circles and pale light eyebrows. The top is dark gray-brown or brown with an indistinct bright plumage drawing. The scapulars are inconspicuous yellow mottled brown. The wings and tail are banded. The underside is light to dark rusty brown with a thick, dark wave pattern and sparse different distinct black shaft stripes. The underflow is unbefiedert. The iris is yellow or dark brown. The beak is gray-brown. Legs and feet are brownish.
Your reputation consists of high " toot " or " choo " whistles with regular intervals of one to two seconds, which quickly turn into faster series of short downward-sloping " cho " tones and for 10 minutes in half second intervals are repeated.
Occurrence and habitat
The Comoro Scops Owl is endemic to the Karthala, an active volcano on the island of Grande Comore. It inhabits forests and forest edges at the northern, western and southern flanks of the volcano, at an altitude of 650 m up to the tree line. Their habitat is characterized by primary evergreen mountain forests, where they find old hollow trees for nesting.
Way of life
About their lifestyle is not enough awareness. Their diet consists mainly of insects probably. what their weak claws point. The Comoro Scops Owl is strictly territorial and needs a breeding ground of about 5 ha It nests in tree hollows. The incubation period is probably from September to December.
Status
Since 1983, the intact forest has fallen on Karthala by 25%. Because of the poor soil quality, more and more forest is cleared to gain new farmland. The secondary forests are dominated by invasive plants such as guava ( Psidium cattleianum ). Commercial grubbing is permitted in an area of 50 km ² on the southwestern slope of the Karthala. The pioneer forest is destroyed by burning, to make way for grazing land. Hirtenmainas and entrained rats are competitors for food or rob the nests of owls. BirdLife International estimates the stock to its current 2,000 copies.