I encountered the Palawan scops owl (Otus fuliginosus) at least in two locations: one at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) and at Baker's Hill, Palawan. In the forests, especially in remote barangays, I could only hear the guttural sound the Palawan scops owl produce.
It is difficult to determine the populatioon status of these nocturnal birds but there are indications that the Palawan scops owl has a small, fragmented population in the still forested areas of Palawan. There is a need to find out more about the Palawan scops owl which is the only endemic species in Palawan, and for that matter, the Philippines.
Physical Characteristics
The Palawan scops owl easily catches one's attention at first encounter. The Palawan scops owl stares blankly with its red eyes, almost unperturbed. The owl looks like a bird painting of a brown bird with an ordered array of blotches of white especially on its wing feathers. It looks like the a knight covered with mail all over his head in the movies. The underparts are lighter than the dorsal portion. The Palawan scops owl is about a foot long. It has a curved beak and sharp claws adapted for capturing and tearing their prey.
Habitat, Distribution and Biology
The Palawan scops owl is found in the lowland forests of mainland Palawan and the islands of Balabac and Alabagin, possibly in Calauit. It can however adapt to disturbed habitats as long as prey is available. The Palawan scops owl prefer old trees with hollows as these are also home to their prey which includes insects, reptiles, small mammals like bats and mice as well as other birds which they detect using their keen sense of hearing. The Palawan scops owl will also eat earthworms, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
The scops owls are solitary birds which lay and incubate their eggs in hollows made by another animal. During incubation, males feed the females. They are monogamous and would produce only one young per year. This makes them much more vulnerable to predation or destruction of their habitat.
Status
Since the Palawan scops owl is active at night, the current population can be gauged mostly from the sound they produce. Studies to verify fully the Palawan scops owl's population status is lacking but it was classified as near threatened.
References
BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Otus fuliginosus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 1/1/2010
Wikipedia, 2009. Scops-Owl. Downloaded from http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Scops_owl