Elegant Scops-Owl

It is found on the Nansei Shoto islands, southern Japan, on Lanyu Island, off south-east Taiwan, and on the Batanes and Babuyan islands off northern Luzon, Philippines in semi-tropical evergreen forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.

The Elegant Scops-Owl is classified as Near Threatened (NT), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

The Ryūkyū Scops-owl or Elegant Scops-owl (Otus elegans) is a small rufous-brown owl with a brown face disk and a cinnamon facial ruff. The bill is olive-grey and it has yellow eyes. It is found on the Nansei Shoto islands, southern Japan, on Lanyu Island, off south-east Taiwan, and on the Batanes and Babuyan islands off northern Luzon, Philippines in semi-tropical evergreen forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. More