Gunther Zieger

In Europe, the species breeds in various types of open or semi-open woodland, mostly broadleaved but sometimes coniferous. In Africa, during winter it occupies mostly wooded savanna. Its breeding range includes NW Africa, S & (locally) C Europe, E to Mongolia in C Asia, Levant. European-African migrant; partial migrant or locally resident in the Mediterranean region. European migratory populations overwinter S of Sahara, mostly in the Sahel zone in Africa (Holt et al. 2020).

Highest breeding density recorded in SE Europe (Keller et al. 2020).

Its population trend in Europe is decreasing. Evaluated as “Least Concern” (BirdLife International 2021).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendStable
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		447000-749000,566000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Eurasian Scops Owl

Due to scarcity of long-distance recoveries, connectivity in relation to African winter grounds cannot be outlined based on ringing recoveries. Even the most distant recoveries do not go beyond S Europe or NW Africa at most, involving within-country or neighbouring-country subsequent encounters in most cases.

Birds breeding in C Europe (Hungary) are encountered during autumn and spring migration S & SW from their breeding grounds. Most birds from SC European populations (Italy) apparently migrate along the N-S axis, fewer of them take NE-SW route. In addition to some within-region records, breeding birds from SW Europe are encountered S & SW from their breeding grounds in NW Africa during spring.

Longest movements are undertaken by Siberian birds overwintering in NE Africa (Mikkola 1992).

Recoveries by Condition for Eurasian Scops Owl

Protected species in Europe. Majority of encounters recorded in SW & SC Europe (ca. 94%). Most encounters (ca. 75%) obtained during spring migration and breeding season (Apr-Jul). Just couple of encounters prior to 1960. The ratio of recoveries based on dead vs alive birds changed from 37:60% for the period 1961-1990 to 10:89% after 1991. Most of the distant recoveries of birds as a result of shooting come from Italy and NW Africa. The “alive” recoveries after 1991 come exclusively from ringing (ca. 87%).

The bulk of encounters obtained after 2008.

Long-distance ring recoveries from African winter quarters S of Sahara and distant recoveries (>=50 km) from SE Europe apparently lacking.

Annual Movements for Eurasian Scops Owl

Spring migration in the W Mediterranean region has been recorded to last about three months, starting in early Mar, with expressed peak in mid-Apr (Barriocanal et al. 2021). Some encounters of birds during spring migration towards SW Europe exist in Morocco and Algeria from Mar-Apr. Return to the breeding grounds takes place in Mar-Apr (or even mid-May in the northernmost part of breeding range in Asia (Gavrilov et al. 1993). Post-breeding movements and start of autumn migration are visible from Aug, by the end of Oct most breeding grounds are already left. Some birds are encountered wintering (Nov-Feb) in the extreme S Europe (primarily Italy and Spain).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Eurasian Scops Owl

Recent study based on ringing showed that in the W Mediterranean region most birds during spring migration move directly across the sea, choosing the shorter, more direct and faster route (Barriocanal et al. 2021). Ringing data from SW & SC Europe suggest start of migration in early spring, which continues to the end of season. Some birds are encountered on their way to SW Europe in early to mid-spring in NW Africa. Breeding sites are reached early- to mid-spring and breeding takes place until mid- to late summer. The first signs of autumn migration are in late summer. Migratory movements continue until mid-autumn, from late autumn onwards primarily wintering birds are encountered in the southernmost parts of Mediterranean Europe.

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
2020 . European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, BarcelonaEditor(s): Keller, V., S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, et al.
Barriocanal, C., Robson, D., Gargallo, G. 2021 . Migration of the Eurasian Scops-owl (Otus scops) over the Western Mediterranean. 29Airo: 15–22
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Otus scops. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 08/07/2021.
Gavrilov, E. I., Ivanchev, V. P., Kotov, A. A., Koshelev, A. I., Nazarov, Y. N., Nechaev, V. A., Numerov, A. D., Priklonskiy, S. G., Pukinskiy, Y. B., Rustamov, A. K. 1993 . Birds of Russia and adjacent territories: Pterocletiformes, Columbiformes, Cuculiformes. Nauka, Moscow
Holt, D. W., R. Berkley, C. Deppe, P. L. Enríquez, J. L. Petersen, J. L. Rangel Salazar, K. P. Segars, K. L. Wood, and J. S. Marks 2020 . Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.eursco1.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
Mikkola, H. 1992 . Owls of Europe. T & A D Poyser, London

Back to Analysis