Spotted wood owl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spotted wood owl
Pasir Ris Park, Singapore
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Strigiformes
Family:	Strigidae
Genus:	Strix
Species:	S. seloputo
Binomial name
Strix seloputo Horsfield, 1821
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Synonyms
Strix orientalis Strix pagodorum Strix Selo-puto Horsfield, 1821 (old orthography) Surnia whiteheadi

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Spotted wood owl at National Zoo Malaysia

The spotted wood owl (Strix seloputo) is a type of owl. It belongs to the Strix group, which are sometimes called "earless owls." You can find these owls in many places around Borneo, but not actually on the island of Borneo itself.

What Does the Spotted Wood Owl Look Like?

This owl is about 44 to 48 centimeters (about 17 to 19 inches) long. Its wings can spread out to about 30 to 36 centimeters (about 12 to 14 inches).

Owl's Features

The spotted wood owl has a chocolate brown head. Its face is a light orange-buff color. Some of these owls have a yellowish band on their throat. Unlike some other owls, they do not have ear-tufts.

Their upper body is coffee-colored. It has white stripes and spots with black edges. The underside of the owl is a dull yellow. It has wide white stripes and thin black stripes. The owl's eyes are dark brown, and its beak is greenish-black. Its legs and toes are covered in feathers. The parts you can see are olive green.

Owl's Call

The spotted wood owl makes a rolling "huhuhu" sound. This is followed by a long "whoo" sound.

Where Do Spotted Wood Owls Live?

There are three main types, or subspecies, of the spotted wood owl:

• Strix seloputo seloputo: This type lives in South Myanmar, central Thailand, and Singapore. You can also find it in Jambi (Sumatra) and Java.
• Strix seloputo baweana: This type lives only on the island of Bawean. This island is located off the coast of North Java.
• Strix seloputo wiepkini: This type lives in the Calamian Islands and Palawan in the Philippines.

Owl's Home

These owls like to live in lowland forests and mangrove swamps. They also live in areas where trees have been cleared. You can even find them in plantations and parks within towns and villages.

What Do Spotted Wood Owls Eat?

The spotted wood owl mainly eats small animals. Its favorite foods are mice and rats. It also eats insects and small birds.

How Are Spotted Wood Owls Doing?

The spotted wood owl lives in a very large area. In some places, it is quite common. We don't know the exact number of these owls, but their population seems to be stable. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has looked at the owl's status. They have decided it is a "least concern" animal. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.