Everett's scops owl

Everett's scops owl
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Strigiformes
Family:	Strigidae
Genus:	Otus
Species:	O. everetti
Binomial name
Otus everetti (Tweeddale, 1879)

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.

Description and taxonomy

EBird 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.”

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

Not 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.

Habitat and conservation status

It 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.

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

References

• 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.