Ryukyu Scops Owl

Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans) is a small rufous-brown island owl with yellow eyes, a brown facial disc, cinnamon facial ruff and short ear tufts. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It uses forest and wooded habitat in the Ryukyu region, taking katydids, moths, millipedes and other invertebrates and nesting in naturally decayed holes or cavities made by other animals. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).