Everett's scops owl (Otus everetti) is an owl, endemic to the Philippines, belonging to the family of the typical owls Strigidae. They are found on Bohol, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Mindanao and Basilan. This species is part of the Philippine scops owl species complex which includes the Negros scops owl.
| Everett's scops owl | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Otus |
| Species: | O. everetti
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| Binomial name | |
| Otus everetti (Tweeddale, 1879)
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Description and taxonomy
editEBird describes the bird as "A fairly small owl of lowland and foothill forest. Dark brown on the back with barred wing feathers, grayish underparts, a darker chest with black markings, a pale gray facial disk bordered with a black line, and pale ear tufts forming a V. Occurs together with Giant and Mindanao Scops-Owls, but Everett’s is much smaller than Giant and slightly larger and paler than Mindanao, with longer ear tufts. Voice includes a descending series ending in a growl, “oowok! oowok! oowok! grrrr.”[3]
Part of the Philippine scops owl owl species complex which included the Negros scops owl, but is differentiated by its darker plummage, face and darker orange eyes. This is species is monotypic.
Ecology and behavior
editNot much is known about this owl but they are presumed to have similar habits to other closely related scops owls. Their diet is presumed to be insects, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
They live alone or in monogamous pairs. They breed throughout the year, laying clutches of 1 or 2 eggs. They nest in tree hollows in forests of the Philippine lowlands.[4]
Habitat and conservation status
editIt is found in tropical moist lowland forest and the lower reaches of montane forest until 1,550 meters above sea level it is replaced by the smaller Mindanao scops owl. Typically roosts in dense bamboo groves during the daytime. [5]
IUCN has assessed this bird as least-concern species but the population is decreasing. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range. The most affected part of its range is Bohol which only has 4% forest cover remaining.
Occurs in a few protected areas like Pasonanca Natural Park, Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape in Bohol and Samar Island Natural Park but actual protection and enforcement from illegal logging and hunting are lax[6]
References
edit- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Otus everetti". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. IUCN: e.T22725053A94884958. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725053A94884958.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ "Everett's Scops-Owl - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Marks, Jeffrey S. (2020). "Everett's Scops-Owl (Otus everetti), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.evesco1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ IUCN (2016-10-01). Otus everetti: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22725053A94884958 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22725053a94884958.en.
- ^ IUCN (2016-10-01). Otus everetti: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22725053A94884958 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22725053a94884958.en.
- Dickinson, E.C., R.S. Kennedy, and K.C. Parkes. 1991. The birds of the Philippines. An annotated check-list. British Ornithologists' Union Check-list number 12. British Ornithologists' Union, London.
- Miranda, H.C. Jr., D.M. Brooks, and R.S. Kennedy. 2011. Phylogeny and taxonomic review of Philippine lowland scops owls (Strigiformes): parallel diversification of highland and lowland clades. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123: 4441–454.
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