ML44789951

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

While owling around the headquarters of KNP, a small owl was spotted perched outside the Rock Hostel at the Kinabalu National Park HQ in 2007. A few photos were taken with a Panasonic FZ30 superzoom camera with an external flash. At that time, no photos of a live Rajah's were ever known to exist and this owl was assumed to be a Sunda Scops Owl. However, there were a few features that simply didn't add up for this owl. The iris appears to be a very bright orange, more so due to the flash used. The belly is whitish-grey streaked with think black vertical streaks, a feature which does not appear in any Sunda Scops. There is also a distinct border between the brown breast and white belly which is also not present for a Sunda Scops which has the same colour for its breast and belly without a margin. At the top of its head are white streaks which may be its white-lined ear tufts that are not present in a Sunda Scops. The identity of this owl could only be revisited after a series of excellent shots of the Rajah's Scops-Owl were taken in May 2016, and after much discussion the identity was confirmed as a Rajah's Scops Owl. For more info see http://www.nemesisbird.com/birding/bird-sightings/rajah-scops-owl-malaysian-mega/

Technical information

Dimensions

2925 pixels x 2076 pixels

Original file size

1.12 MB