The Cyprus Scops Owl
On a warm spring evening in Cyprus, as the last light fades over an olive grove and the first stars appear, a small, haunting sound rises from the trees – a soft, rhythmic double whistle, repeated over and over into the dark. You might not see the creature making it, but you will certainly hear it, and once you know what it is, you will never forget it. That sound belongs to one of Cyprus's most treasured and exclusive residents: the Cyprus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius – a bird that exists nowhere else on Earth. A Tiny Owl with a Big Claim to Fame Owls belong to one of nature's most ancient and successful bird groups, the order Strigiformes, which has been flying through the world's nights for over 60 million years. There are more than 200 species of owls alive today, spread across every continent except Antarctica. The genus Otus – the scops owls – is the largest group within this family, with around 60 species worldwide, found from Europe and Africa all the way to Asia and the Pacific islands. Most are small, secretive, insect-eating birds of the night, perfectly designed to vanish into tree bark during the day and come alive after dark. The Cyprus Scops Owl (Otus cyprius) is a small owl endemic to Cyprus. It…
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