Common name: Eurasian Scops Owl
Scientific name: Otus scops
Family: Strigidae

Size:
Body length: 19–21 cm
Wingspan: 47–54 cm
Weight: 60–135 g

Identification:
A small, compact owl with a rounded head and short ear tufts that are often raised when alert. Plumage is highly cryptic, ranging from grey to brown with fine streaking, allowing it to blend perfectly with tree bark. It has bright yellow eyes and a small hooked bill. When perched, it appears upright and slender, often resembling a broken branch.

Habitat:
Open woodlands, orchards, gardens, parks, and forest edges. Prefers areas with scattered trees and open ground.

Status in the UAE:
Passage migrant and rare breeder. More frequently recorded during migration periods.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds mainly on insects such as moths, beetles, and grasshoppers, occasionally small vertebrates.

Behavior:
Nocturnal and elusive. Often detected by its soft, repetitive whistling call rather than sight. Hunts from perches, making short flights to catch prey. During the day, it remains well hidden against tree trunks.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)