Seychelles Scops Owl

Seychelles Scops-Owl ( Otus insularis )

The Seychelles Scops-Owl ( Otus insularis ), also referred to as Seychellenohreule, is a rare species of owl, which is found only in the Morne Seychellois National Park on the island of Mahé.

Description and food

The Seychelles Scops-Owl reached a size 19-22 cm. The wing length is 17 cm. Their plumage is brown and shows black shaft stripes. The bottom and the face veil are reddish. The long, gray legs are unfeathered. The ears are very small. The eyes are large and golden yellow. Your reputation, like a sawed " waugh waugh " with different " tok tok " sounds sounds is already perceive from afar. He can be heard especially in the dark. Their diet consists of geckos, tree frogs and insects (eg locusts ).

Hazard and inventory

The original habitat of this bird were first described in 1880 the Seychelles islands of Mahé, Praslin and Silhouette. Due to the deforestation of mountain forests and the introduction of foreign animals such as rats, cats and barn owls the stock declined so drastically that were thought to be extinct for the type in 1906. In 1959 it was rediscovered by the French naturalist Phillipe Loustau - Lalanne in a mountain cloud forest above 200 m above sea level on Mahé. In 1999 they found the first nest. However, the breeding success did not come. 2000 took an infrared camera on the first photos of a mother with a nestling. Since you knew a long time nothing about the stock, the IUCN ( critically endangered ) had " threatened with extinction " this species of owl in the category classified. Due to the discovery of additional populations since 1996 to put 2002 that the stock had stabilized at about 318 animals. Today the range extends to 159 territories that cover an area of 33 km ². Thanks to this knowledge, this owl was " threatened " under the category 2004 ( endangered ) downgraded.