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Collared Scops Owl feeding fledgling

on 14th December 2008

Lee Tiah Khee was with KC one dark night in October 2008 when they heard the distinct call of an owl around a tree. Sensing that something was amiss, they located an adult Collared Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena) arriving on a branch with a lizard clamped in its bill. The lizard was headless, apparently a result of an earlier struggle.

Suddenly the hungry fledgling appeared on a nearby branch, having heard the adult arriving. Immediately the adult passed the dead lizard to the fledgling and flew off to keep watch nearby.

Clasping the prey firmly in its talons, the fledgling began to feed on the lizard.

Images by Lee Tiah Khee were captured with a 600 mm lens.

This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

4 Responses

  1. I recently saw my first collared scops owl chicks, high up in a palm tree. It was in the day, and so they were asleep, snuggled next to each other They looked a lighter colour than this, but catching them in action like this is quite amazing.

  2. Excellent captures of this very interesting owl Lee. My favorite thing about birding is learning the bird’s habits and behaviors. Learning these important aspects to birding is what helps us find the birds we want to observe in the first place.

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