Endemic Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bay of Bengal

1998. Otus alius Rasmussen, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club (BBOC), 118 : p 143-
151, pl. 3.
Common Name : Nicobar Scops-owl.
Habitat : Subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests.
Distribution : India : Nicobar Islands.
Status : IUCN : Dadta Deficient. Possibly rare and endangered.
Remarks : This species was first described as Ephialtes scops nicobaricus by Hume (1873).
Surprisingly, Baker (1927) did not mention about this subspecies. Ali and Ripley (1969) have
treated it as one of the six subspecies of Otus scops. Interestingly, Grimmett et al. (1999)
treated it as a race Otus sunia nicobaricus. Rasmussen (1999) redescribed it as a separate
species, Nicobar Scops-owl Otus alius. Mainly occurs in the Great Nicobar Islands, Teressa
Island and in the Central Nicobars. It is common in the Great Nicobar.
32. Otus balli (Hume)
1873. Ephialtes balli Hume, Stray Feathers, 1 : 407 (South Andaman).
1985. Otus balli : Tikader and Das, Glympses of Animal life of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
: 142.
Common Name : Andaman Scops-owl.
Habitat : Open forest areas, near settlements, cultivation areas. Feed on caterpillars and
other insects.
Distribution : India : Andaman Islands.
Status : IUCN. : Near Threatened. Specifically not mentioned but its family is included
under Schedule IV of IWPA
33. Otus scops modestus (Walden)
1874. Otus scops modestus Walden, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., (4) : 123 (Port Blair, S.
Andaman).
1985. Otus scops modestus : Tikader and Das, Glympses of Animal life of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands : 142.
Common Name : Andaman Lesser Scops-owl.
Habitat : All types of forests.
Distribution : India : Andaman Islands.
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