Otus hartlaubi

Two of my photos of the São Tomé scops-owl have been published on the Arkive website (www.arkive.org).

“This small owl, named after the only island it inhabits, has warm reddish-brown plumage with indistinct, fine reddish markings and black streaks. The underparts are lighter but are boldly streaked with black and have brown, rufous and white markings. The tail bears narrow buff coloured bars and the feathers on the shoulders are adorned with white spots tipped with black. The rounded face, typical of all owls, is also a light reddish-brown, with a white chin, white ‘eyebrows’ and tiny ear tufts. The sharp, hooked bill and large, forward-facing eyes are yellow, and are both adaptations for hunting and capturing prey. The São Tomé scops-owl calls with a high-pitched ‘hu-hu-hu’ or a low, harsh ‘kowe’ “ – in Arkive.org