Réunion scops owl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Réunion scops owl |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Otus
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| Species: |
grucheti
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The Réunion scops owl (Otus grucheti) was a small owl. It lived on the island of Réunion, which is part of the Mascarene islands. This owl is now extinct, meaning it no longer exists. We only know about it from subfossil bones found by scientists. No one ever saw a living one.
The Réunion scops owl was one of three special owls from the Mascarene islands. Scientists first thought it belonged to a different group, but now they know it's part of the Otus genus. It was probably related to the Otus sunia. This owl likely looked a bit like a long-eared owl. It was similar in size but had legs that were almost bare.
Compared to its relatives, the Mauritius scops owl and the Rodrigues scops owl, the Réunion scops owl spent more time on the ground. It had long legs. It might have been a bit smaller than the Mauritius owl. Scientists think it hunted small birds, especially sleeping songbirds. It would catch them in a way similar to the "stilt-owls" from Hawaii.
Why Did the Réunion Scops Owl Disappear?
No one wrote about seeing this owl when it was alive. This means it was either very good at hiding or it became extinct quite early. A person named Sieur Dubois made a list of animals on Réunion in 1671–72. He did not mention this owl.
At that time, the main new animals brought to the island were pigs. The owls were probably fast enough to get away from pigs. Scientists believe the Réunion scops owl likely died out because of rats and maybe cats. These animals were also brought to the island later. This means the owl probably became extinct after Dubois' visit, closer to the year 1700.
