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The collared scops owl

Writer: Isaac Cohen  |  Editor: Liu Minxia  |  From: Shenzhen Daily

A collared scops owl is seen perching on a branch in Wutong Mountain in Luohu District on Nov. 2. 


The collared scops owl

Ever since I heard about the presence of the collared scops owl in town I was waiting for the moment when I could be face to face with this fascinating animal. It finally happened.

自从得知深圳有领角鸮出没起,我就一直期待着亲眼见它们一面。这个激动人心的时刻最近终于来临了。

The collared scops owl (Otus lettia) is a nocturnal bird that inhabits Southeast Asia and of course, our beloved Shenzhen. This small owl grows up to 25 cm. Its huge round eyes contain a great amount of specialized cells that provide them with impressive night vision which helps them accurately hunt their prey.

领角鸮是一种夜行性的猛禽,广泛分布于亚洲东南部地区,其中就包括我们可爱的深圳。成鸟体长可达25厘米,有一双极具辨识度的大眼睛,眼部含有丰富的柱状细胞,给予了它们极佳的夜视能力,即便在黑暗中也能精准地捕获猎物。

A collared scops owl is seen perching on a branch in Wutong Mountain in Luohu District on Nov. 2. 

Their eyes are located in front of the face, different from other birds that more often have eyes on the sides of the head. This characteristic provides the owl with a better hunting weapon, in addition to their ability to turn their head almost entirely. When searching for prey, they don’t need to leave their position, barely producing any sound or vibration that may scare the preys away.

鸟类眼睛的位置一般在头部两侧,而领角鸮的双眼都位于面部的正前方。它们的头部可以近360度旋转,既能够在原地观察猎物的一举一动,也不会发出多余的动静惊扰猎物,从而提高捕猎的效率。

This beautiful animal is covered by a striking set of feathers that mixes freckled, spotted and mottled patterns in a matching palette of browns, yellows and grays. The beak is yellow and greenish; the legs are yellow; its big rounded eyes are brown and bright; and their face is delimited by a beautiful black outline.

领角鸮身披棕黄及灰色羽毛,夹杂暗色斑点与深色纵纹,喙黄绿色,腿黄色,一双棕黄色的眼睛大而明亮,面盘周围还缀着一条美丽的黑色“领巾”。

A collared scops owl is seen perching on a branch in Wutong Mountain in Luohu District on Nov. 2. 

Collared scops owls breed during the spring months and will lay clutches of up to four eggs, often times using holes in the trees as nests. They will feed their little owlets with small invertebrate animals — one of their main sources of food, although they will sometimes feed on amphibians, reptiles, mice and small birds.

领角鸮在春季繁殖,喜欢在树洞中筑巢,每窝最多产4枚卵。雏鸟主要以小型无脊椎动物为食,偶尔也吃两栖动物、爬行动物、鼠类及小型鸟类。

Although this species is not endangered, its numbers are not really big in our city. We must do our part in preserving their natural habitats so that we can continue enjoying their presence for years to come.

虽然领角鸮并不是濒危动物,但是在深圳生活的个体并不多。因此,我们更要保护好它们的栖息地,让这些猫头鹰成为这座城市的常住居民。