News by Aryaa Sinha
A new species of owl has been discovered in the west coast of Central Africa.
According to testimonies from local people, its first sighting goes as far back as 1928. In 2016, scientists initially proposed that it might be a distinct species but now for the first time, there is definitive proof.
These new species of Owl is known as the Principe Scops-Owl, or Otus bikegila.
About Otus bikegila
“Otus” is the common name given to a group of small owls having same history. It shares a most recent common ancestor with both the neighbouring Sao Owl and African Scopes Owl, which are widespread on the continent’s mainland. But through millennia of isolation, Otus Bikegila transformed into a distinct species.
These are small, brown nocturnal birds with both sexes being compact in size and shape; females are usually larger than males.
In the wild, every species has its unique sound through which it can be recognised.
Similarly, Otus bikegila‘s unique call is a short “tuu” note repeated at a fast rate of about one note per second, reminiscent of insect calls.
Where are they found?
The entire Principe Island was surveyed to determine the distribution and population size . Results, published in the journal Bird Conservation International, show that the Principe Scops-Owl is only found in the remaining old-growth native forest of Príncipe in the uninhabited southern part of the island. There, it occupies an area of about 15 sq. kms (6 sq. miles), apparently due to a preference for lower elevations. In this small area (about four times the size of Central Park), the estimated population observed is 1000-1500 individuals.
Based on its small range on a single island and limited number of individuals, the researchers proposed that new species should be listed as Critically Endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Image credit: Philippe Verbelen.