Siau Scops Owl

The Siau Scops Owl ( Otus siaoensis ) is an extremely rare or already extinct owl of the genus Scops owls. Until 1998, it was regarded as a subspecies of Manado Scops Owl ( Otus manadensis ). It is endemic to the small island of Siau north of Sulawesi.

Description

The Siau Scops Owl sees the Manado Zwergohreule very similar but is smaller. The length of the only known copy is 17 centimeters. The wing length is 125 mm, tail length 55 mm, the run length of 23 mm and the beak length 19.9 mm. The head and feet are relatively large. Wings and tail have a fine banding.

Status

The Siau Scops Owl is known only by the holotype from 1866, which is preserved in the Museum Naturalis in Leiden. A search in 1998 for the rediscovery of the species failed, but resulted in the same time that only 50 hectares of forest were present as an appropriate habitat. Due to unconfirmed reports from the locals about scops owls on Siau the nature of the IUCN is classified as " threatened with extinction " from.