English: Eurasian Scops Owl, Common Scops-owl, Scops Owl
Russian: Сплюшка

Mongolian: Ердийн орволго, Орволго ууль

German: Zwergohreule

French: Petit duc scops
Japanese: ヨーロッパコノハズク (Yoroppa-konoha-zuku)

Body length: 19-21 cm
Wing span: 47-54 cm

Breeds in broadleaved and mixed open woodland, copes in farmland, churchyards, town parks, larger lush or neglected gardens; also found in wooded mountains well up to 1500 m, sometimes higher. Migratory, normally wintering in Africa S of Sahara, but a minority, perhaps local birds, stay in southernmost Europe and N Africa. In natural tree-holes are lacking. Lake Long-eared Owl adopts stiff, elongated posture to avoid detection.

Identification: Small, clearly smaller than Little Owl, only big as a Starling, body thus about as large as a clenched first. Sits upright, showing little of ear-tufts when relaxed (then merely as sharp corners of crown), more when alert (adopting erect camouflage posture like Long-eared Owl). In flight, shows proportionately long and narrow wings, with flight fast and path hardly bounding (cf. Little Owl). Except at close range, appears rather uniform brown (rufous or more greyish; variable) with pale (grey-white) ‘braces’, slightly paler face and underbody; seen well, shows intricate pattern of black streaks and vermiculations, diffuse whitish sports and rufous patches. Eyes yellow. Pallid Scops Owl (which see) is extremely similar.