Oriental Scops Owl spotted at Kent Road, Singapore

YC Wee
on 7th November 2011

On 3rd November 2011, an owl landed on the 24th floor of a Housing Development Board’s apartment building at Kent Road, Singapore.

Alexis Hong’s husband spotted the owl when he returned home at around 10pm. It was just outside the lift landing. Alexis took some photographs and posted a photo in her Facebook. A friend told her that it was possibly an Oriental-scops Owl (Otus sunia). To confirm its identity, she sent images to BESG the next day.

Field ornithologist Wang Luan Keng confirmed that it was indeed an Oriental Scops-owl, a rare winter visitor and passage migrant. “This is the season for this rare migratory owl, which unfortunately, we seem to have more records as dead birds (mostly building-hit causalities) than live specimen,” added Luan Keng.

According to Alexis, “It stayed around for pretty long looking at us, but flew off when I shuddered due to muscle strain from keeping the camera still for a good shot. Left some poop on the sill too. Ha ha. Thanks for the confirmation, very happy to be of help and grateful to have had a rare sighting of this beautiful bird.”

Alexis Hong & Wang Luan Keng
Singapore
November 2011

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.

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