Pallid Scops Owl

Otus brucei (Hume, 1873)

2015-04-21 Zhanaozen	© Zhaskairat Nurmukhambetov

Description

Background color of male and female of Striated Scops Owl is pale-grey or yellowish-sandy. Upper- and underparts are covered by narrow, but neat longitudinal brownish streaks, broader (up to 2.5 mm) on breast. Nape and shoulders are with pale-buff or whitish spots. Primaries are pale-brownish with buffy tinge and with seven spots on outer webs. Uppertail is with rusty tone, tail feathers are grey wash-barred. Eyes are yellow, bill and claws are dark-horn color. Striated Scops Owl is well distinguished from Eurasian Scops-Owl by lack of rusty on lesser wing coverts and by dimmer tone without bright spots. Juveniles are pale yellowish-grey dark cross-mottled. In autumn young birds are distinguished from adults by easy streaks. Sizes: males and females are probably same in size. Wing 166-170 mm, weight is about 100 gr.

Distribution

Breeds in Eastern Trans-Aral area and in Syrdarya valley. Multifold notices in spring and autumn in Dzhabagly settlement and (12 April - 7 May and 6 September - 24 October) at Chokpak Pass confirm guess about breeding of Striated Scops Owl in Karatau and Western Tien Shan. In 1996 nest with eggs found in lower reaches of Ile river, and in 1996-1999 in Kurty mouth and Zhelturanga grove of Ile valley. In end of May 2002 voice of Striated Scops Owl was recorded in Ile valley near Malay-Sary ridge.

Biology

Striated Scops Owl is rare breeding migrant. It inhabits riparian forests, groves, gardens and man-made forests. In spring it arrives in end of March - April. Breeds in separate pairs. Nests is built in tree holes or in old Magpie nests; once Striated Scops Owl nested in hole of human construction. Clutches of 4-6 eggs founded in second half of April till May. Only female incubates, male feed it and take part in feeding of brood. Fledglings recorded from end of June. Juveniles collected from end of July to early August still didn't change tail and flight feathers. Autumn migration begins in September, latest birds recorded in end of October, on Chokpak Station one bird was ringed at October 24 2000.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1962.
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.
Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Рябицев В.К. (общ. ред.). Птицы Средней Азии: справочник-определитель: в 2 т. Москва; Екатеринбург: Кабинетный ученый, 2019