• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category

This species has a large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is unknown, but is not suspected to be small, hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified. It is typically locally distributed and described as uncommon (König et al. 1999, Allen 2020), however citizen science data (eBird 2023) reveal it to be rather common where survey effort overlaps with the correct elevation at night. Given that approximately 12,000 km² of forest lies in its mapped range, the population size is therefore not believed to be especially small, and there is relatively high certainty that it exceeds 10,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification
The only acting threat to this species is habitat loss, caused principally by shifting agriculture and degradation at the lowest elevations of its range. Remote sensing data reveal the rate of loss to be very slow, equivalent to 1-3% of the mapped range being lost in the past ten years (2012-2022) (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). It is plausible that this rate is an overestimate of population declines, since most of these losses are at the lowest elevation limit of this species, where the species may reasonably be expected to be less common than at higher elevations. Precautionarily, the trend is suspected to be declining at an ongoing rate of 1-5% over ten years.

It is endemic to Luzon, the Philippines, where it is known from all provinces with montane forest (Collar et al. 1999, eBird 2023).

It is recorded between 360 and 2,300 m (Allen 2020), but with most records above 1,000 m. It is believed to feed mainly on insects and a nest with chicks was observed in May.

Forest loss is the only identified threat to this species, and rates have been slow over the past 20 years (Global Forest Watch 2023). Most forest loss has been at the lowest limits of this species' elevational range and appears to chiefly consist of agricultural encroachment.

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. Much of this species' mapped range is circumscribed by protected areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2023), which appear to have been relatively successful in preventing significant forest incursions. No other conservation action (targeted or general) is known for this species.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Ensure that forest in this species' range remains effectively protected. Continue to monitor rates of forest loss using remote sensing data. 

Text account compilers
Berryman, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Luzon Highland Scops-owl Otus longicornis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/luzon-highland-scops-owl-otus-longicornis on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.