Unusual song of an individual Cyprus Scops Owl Otus cyprius (Aves: Strigidae)

Abstract

Cyprus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius, has recently been split from Eurasian Scops Owl, Otus scops, partly because of song differences. Spectrographic analysis of a more recent O. cyprius song recording shows that it differs from that of O. scops in phrase length and frequency more than previously analysed recordings. The recorded song is also most unusual in possessing two phrases each containing 11 consecutive quiet notes; these two phrases are also remarkably similar in pattern, timing and amplitude. Previously only three consecutive quiet notes were known from O. cyprius though so far its multiple quiet note phrases have been little studied.

Keywords:

• Endemism
• taxonomy
• sound recording
• spectrogram
• song phrases

Acknowledgements

My thanks to two reviewers for their constructive and helpful critical comments on an earlier submission, and to Serge Fetter for permission to use his recording and for additional details of the circumstances.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest is reported by the author.