Torotoroka scops owl

The Torotoroka scops owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to western parts of Madagascar.

Description

It is very similar to the rainforest scops owl, and possibly indistinguishable from it. The two were formerly identified by different habitat preferences, with Torotoroka preferring drier habitats and rainforest preferring wetter forests. Some small plumage and vocal differences were noted but minimal genetic divergence was found. Therefore, Clements has merged the two species.

Distribution and habitat

This taxon is endemic to the western parts of Madagascar.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests, as well as man-made habitats such as parks, up to 2,000 m above sea level.

Taxonomy

The Torotoroka scops owl, the Mayotte scops owl, the Pemba scops owl and the rainforest scops owl have all previously been lumped as one species. The taxonomy is in a state of flux but recent genetic studies have placed the Pemba scops owl closer to the clade containing the African scops owl, while the Mayotte scops owl is clearly separate from the remaining two. The status of the rainforest and Torotoroka scops owls as separate species is debatable as there is very little genetic distance between the two taxa. and subsequent studies have suggested that the plumage differences between O. rutilus and O. madagascariensis are small and that their voices intergrade.