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Otus brucei

warning Data Deficient
DD

Contributed: Asaf Mayrose
Update Time: Jan. 1, 2011, 7:39 a.m.

The Pallid Scops-owl is classified as Data Deficient (DD) as there is insufficient data to assess the status of the species in Israel. A Pallid Scops-owl was discovered nesting in a date palm grove in the northern Dead Sea depression in spring 2015. The only previous evidence of breeding in Israel dates back to Israel Aharoni in 1922 from the Jordan Valley. A survey conducted along the Jordan Valley found that the species is a relatively common breeder, from Masu’a in the north to Mitspe Shalom in the south, and its population is estimated at no less than 50 pairs (Ben-Dov & Kiat 2016).
DD Current Regional Assessment | LC Previous Regional Assessment | LC Global Assessment

Presence In Israel Resident
Breeding In Israel Breeder
Migration Types Short Range / Partial
Zoographical Zones Irano-Turanian, Sudani
Landscape Types Plains & Valleys, Rural Area
Vegetation Types Plantation
Vegetation Densities Medium
Nest Locations Tree
Diet Types Invertebrate, Terrestrial Vertebrates
Foraging Grounds Ground, Trees and Shrubs
Body Sizes Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors Unknown

The Pallid Scops-owl is a very small owl that inhabits trees. It resembles the Oriental Scops-owl, but is paler and its legs are covered with feathers. Plumage is light grey with a pattern of dark streaks. It feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods and rarely on small birds and rodents.

  • פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
  • Ben-Dov, A. & Kiat, Y. 2015. Breeding Pallid Scops Owls in Rift valley, Israel, in spring 2015. Dutch Birding.
  • Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
  • Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
  • Species page at Birdlife International
Contributed: Asaf Mayrose

Current Occupancy Map

Current occupancy map by density
Data Missing Sporadic Limited Sites Low Density High Density
0 0 0 0 0

Distribution maps

The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel from the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and breeding density during the comparison period. For further reading


Relative Abundance 2010-2020

Breeding density values in the current decade as determined from experts' opinion and observations from databases.

Relative Abundance 2010-2020 by density
Data Missing Sporadic Limited Sites Low Density High Density
8 12 12 21 19

Relative Abundance 1980-1990

Density values based primarily on the book The Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).

Relative Abundance 1980-1990 by density
Data Missing Sporadic Limited Sites Low Density High Density
5 14 14 17 22

Occupancy 1990-2020

The map shows differences in the species breeding distribution between the 1980's breeding map and the current weighted breeding evaluation. Negative value - species previously bred in the grid and is not presently breeding; positive value - species has not previously bred in the grid and is currently breeding.

Occupancy 1990-2020
Data Missing No Change Occupancy Increase Occupancy Decrease
6 35 1 9

Change in Relative Abundance 1990-2020

The map shows the changes in the relative abundance of a species in each of the distribution grids between the breeding map of the 1980s and the weighted current breeding evaluation. Negative values - decline in abundance; positive values - increase in abundance; zero - no change in abundance.

Change in Relative Abundance 1990-2020
80 to 100 50 20 to 30 No Change 30- to 20- 50- 100- to 80- Data Missing
0 4 2 22 12 14 11 16

Rarity
Vulnerability
Attractiveness
Endemism
Red number
Peripherality
IUCN category
Threat Definition according to the red book
() districts
Disjunctiveness:
% of protected sites

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