Rinjani scops owl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rinjani scops owl |
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| Two Rinjani scops owls perched on a branch | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Otus |
| Species: |
O. jolandae
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| Binomial name | |
| Otus jolandae Sangster et al., 2013
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The Rinjani scops owl (Otus jolandae) is a small owl that lives only on the island of Lombok in Indonesia. It also lives on the nearby Gili Islands. This owl is special because it is the only bird species that lives only on Lombok. Scientists first realized it was a new species in 2003. They officially described it in 2013.
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What's in a Name?
How the Rinjani Scops Owl Got Its Name
The scientific name for this owl, jolandae, honors Dr. Jolanda Luksenburg. She is a biologist who helped discover the species in 2003.
Both the English name and the Indonesian name, Celepuk Rinjani, refer to Mount Rinjani. This is a tall, active volcano on Lombok, standing about 3,700 meters high. It's a very important landmark on the island.
Local people also call these owls burung pok. This name sounds like the owl's call, which is a "pok" sound.
What Does It Look Like?
Identifying the Rinjani Scops Owl
Like most other Otus owls, the Rinjani scops owl is mostly brown. It has different shades of brown with white spots and stripes.
It looks a lot like the Moluccan scops owl, O. magicus. However, the Rinjani scops owl has a very different call. It makes a clear, whistling hoot. The Moluccan scops owl makes a rough, croaking sound instead. This unique call helped scientists tell them apart!
How Was It Discovered?
The Journey to Discover a New Species
In the late 1800s, a British naturalist named Alfred Everett collected seven owl specimens from Lombok. However, at that time, no one realized these owls were a unique species. They thought they were just Moluccan scops owls. These old specimens are now kept in museums in London and New York.
Many years later, in September 2003, two scientists named George Sangster and Jolanda Luksenburg visited Lombok. They saw and recorded the calls of scops owls there. Another scientist, Ben King, did the same thing that month. Both groups realized that the calls were very different from other owls.
Later, in 2008 and 2011, more photos and sound recordings were made. Scientists then carefully compared these recordings and the old specimens. They looked at other scops owls from nearby islands. This detailed study showed that the Lombok owls were indeed a brand new species! This led to their official description in 2013.
Where Does It Live?
Rinjani Scops Owl Habitat
The Rinjani scops owl lives only on the island of Lombok. It is the only type of scops owl that lives there all the time.
These owls are quite common in the remaining forests on the island. Much of their home is inside the Gunung Rinjani National Park. They can be found at different heights, from low areas (25 meters) up to higher parts of the mountains (1,350 meters).
Protecting the Rinjani Scops Owl
Why Conservation Matters
For a long time, the Rinjani scops owl was not officially protected in Indonesia. This meant that people could not legally sell them.
In 2018, the government of Indonesia updated its list of protected species. Now, the Rinjani scops owl is officially a protected animal! This is great news for the owls.
However, even with protection, some people still illegally trade these owls in local bird markets on Lombok. This illegal trade is a possible danger to the owls. Protecting them from illegal trade is important for their future.
 | Emma Amos |
 | Edward Mitchell Bannister |
 | Larry D. Alexander |
 | Ernie Barnes |
