Otus insularis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Strigiformes

Familia: Strigidae
Subfamilia: Striginae
Genus: Otus
Species: Otus insularis
Name

Otus insularis (Tristram, 1880)

Gymnoscops insularis (protonym)

References

H. B. Tristram, F.R.S. 1880. Description of a new Genus and Species of Owl from the Seychelles Islands. Ibis 1880:458.pl. 14 BHL
IUCN: Otus insularis (Endangered)

Vernacular names
català: Xot de les Seychelles
čeština: Výreček ostrovní
Deutsch: Seychellen-Zwergohreule
English: Seychelles Scops Owl
Esperanto: Sejŝela orelstrigo
español: Autillo de Seychelles
suomi: Seychellienpöllönen
français: Petit-duc scieur
magyar: Seychelle-szigeteki füleskuvik
日本語: セーシェルコノハズク
Nederlands: Seychellendwergooruil
svenska: Seychelldvärguv
中文: 塞舌爾貓頭鷹

The Seychelles scops owl (Otus insularis), also known as bare-legged scops owl or syer (in Creole) is a rare scops owl species, which only occurs in the Morne Seychellois National Park on the Seychelles island of Mahé.
Description

It reaches a length of 19 to 21 cm. The wings are each about 17 cm long. Its plumage is rufous brown and exhibits black shaft streaks. The underparts and the facial disc are rufous. The long grey legs are unfeathered. The eyes are large and golden yellow. The ear-tufts are very small. Its call, which sounds like a rasping "whaugh" with various "tok tok" notes, can be heard from a far distance and in particular in the darkness. Its diet consists of geckos, tree frogs and insects (e.g. locusts).
Status

The range of this bird when first described in 1880 were the Seychelles islands of Praslin, Mahé, and Silhouette Island. Due to the clearing of the mountainous cloud forests and introduced alien animals, like rats, cats, and barn owls the population had dropped so drastically that it was thought to be extinct by 1906. In 1959 it was rediscovered by French naturalist Phillippe Loustau-Lalanne in a mountainous cloud forest at an altitude of 200 m (660 ft) a.s.l. on the island of Mahé.

In 1999 the first nest was discovered but there was no breeding success. In 2000 the first infrared photograph was shot of a female with her juvenile. Due to the lack of information about the population this species was long regarded as critically endangered by the IUCN. Due to the discovery of further populations, it was noted by 2002 that the population was stable at about 318 individuals. The population is likely declining and by 2020 it was estimated at 200-280 individuals.[1]
References

BirdLife International (2021). "Otus insularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T22688667A177971497. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.