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Otus is a genus of small owls found across Europe, Asia, and Africa, characterized by their compact size and distinctive ear tufts. These owls are important for understanding owl diversity and evolution, as they represent one of the most widespread groups of small predatory birds in the world.
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Scops owls are typical owls in family Strigidae belonging to the genus Otus and are restricted to the Old World. Otus is the largest genus of owls with 59 species. Scops owls are coloured in various brownish hues, sometimes with a lighter underside and face, which helps to camouflage them against the bark of trees. Some are polymorphic, occurring in a greyish- and a reddish-brown morph. They are compact in size and shape. Female scops owls are usually larger than males.
Taxonomy