The Collared Scops Owl (Otus lettia) is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from northern Pakistan, northern India and the Himalayas east to south China. It is partially migratory, with some birds wintering in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. This species was formerly considered to be included within what is now separated as the Indian Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena).
Similar species: Owls
By Thibaud Aronson
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Uploaded Jun 1, 2019. Captured Apr 26, 2019 19:28 in No. 168號, Alley 62, Lane 688, Section 3, Dongqi Road, Dongshi District, Taichung City, Taiwan 423.
comments (9)
But that evening, as we were ou looking at fireflies, I heard a different call, which I recognized as a collared scops owl. I raced back to the room to grab my other torch, binoculars and camera, and went looking. As I got closer, I figured I was in luck, as the bird sounded like it was by the road, and this was not dense forest, but a fairly open landscape of fruit orchards. I got really close, still couldn't see it, but suddenly got under the canopy of the tree, and there it was, just a few meters up!
I was even able to call over the other people who were still looking at the fireflies, and everyone got a good look, and we left without having scared off the owl.
BUT then the next night I went back out a bit earlier to look for nightjars before dinner. I had no luck there, so I headed back once it got dark, but suddenly, I heard that same owl calling from across a field. I had bins but no camera, so I just sat down under a row of small trees and waited to see if it might show itself. And within a few minutes, it actually flew across the field and perched 3 trees down from me! This time it seemed actively curious, and over the next few minutes, it got closer in several steps until it was in the tree right above me, looking at me! I only spotlit it with the farthest edge of my torch's beam so as not to bother it, and it sometimes looked at the area of ground that the beam illuminated, seemingly looking for prey. It eventually got comfortable enough that it started singing again, right above me! I spent most of the time with my torch turned off, enjoying the magical feeling of having this ghost of the night right above me, completely invisible to my eyes no matter how long I tried to let them get accustomed to the dark. Until finally, I pointed the light up again, only to see an empty perch, before hearing him take up his call in the distance... Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
I had a quick look online, and it seems that the little owl is the most commonly seen in Bulgaria, and since it hunts in daylight, I imagine you have seen that one. If the forests of your country are anything like the ones I know further west, I imagine you've heard tawny owls many times, though seeing them is a whole other story!
My advice would be to connect with the local birdwatching/bird protection society, they often organize walks to go look for owls, which can be particularly productive if they know where their owls roost. Posted 6 years ago
Thibaud Aronson beautifully describes his magical encounter with a Collared Scops Owl (Otus lettia) in Taiwan:
“…And within a few minutes, it actually flew across the field and perched 3 trees down from me! This time it seemed actively curious, and over the next few minutes, it got closer in several steps until it was in the tree right above me, looking at me! I only spotlit it with the farthest edge of my torch's beam so as not to bother it, and it sometimes looked at the area of ground that the beam illuminated, seemingly looking for prey. It eventually got comfortable enough that it started singing again, right above me! I spent most of the time with my torch turned off, enjoying the magical feeling of having this ghost of the night right above me, completely invisible to my eyes no matter how long I tried to let them get accustomed to the dark. Until finally, I pointed the light up again, only to see an empty perch, before hearing him take up his call in the distance...” Posted 6 years ago