Cyprus scops owl
species of bird
The Cyprus scops owl (Otus cyprius) is a small owl endemic to Cyprus.
Taxonomy and systematics
It is similar to the Eurasian scops owl Otus scops, with which it was once considered conspecific. The Cyprus scops owl differs from Eurasian scops owl in that it has a double noted song (vs. single noted), it lacks a rufous morph (vs. has a rufous morph), and that it shows consistent plumage differences (with Cyprus scops owl appearing darker than Eurasian scops owls). There are limited mitochondrial DNA differences between the Cyprus scops owl and the Eurasian scops owl, but the taxa appear to occupy wholly discrete breeding ranges despite temporary sympatry during migration.
Distribution and habitat
The Cyprus scops owl is endemic to the island of Cyprus. It is reported in the literature to occur in rural areas, woodlands, and forests on the island from sea level up to 1,900 metres (6,200 ft). Considering the highest point on the island is only 1,952 metres (6,404 ft) at Mt. Olympus and that there are records of this species near the summit, the species distribution encompasses virtually the entire island.
The public source identifies “Cyprus scops owl” as species of bird. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cyprus, scops and species.
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Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 30, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q27074732. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Cyprus scops owl” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.