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

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely 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). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to 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, but the species is reported to be very abundant regionally (del Hoyo et al. 1999), while national population estimates include: c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in China; < c.1,000 individuals on migration in Taiwan; c.100-100,000 breeding pairs and c.50-10,000 individuals on migration in Korea; c.100-100,000 breeding pairs and c.50-10,000 individuals on migration in Japan and c.100-10,000 breeding pairs and c.50-1,000 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009).

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Environmental pollutants such as flame retardant additives have been identified as a potential threat to the species (Chen et al. 2007). Hunting and trade of the species has been recorded in Hainan, China, and the impact of hunting is likely exacerbated by local habitat conversion for agriculture (Liang et al. 2013).

Conservation actions underway
CITES Appendix II, Raptors MOU Category 3. 

Conservation actions needed
Research is needed to estimate the population size and trends of the species, and to identify any additional threats.

Text account compilers
Haskell, L.

Contributors
Ashpole, J, Butchart, S. & Ekstrom, J.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Oriental Scops-owl Otus sunia. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/oriental-scops-owl-otus-sunia on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.