• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Range map
• Resources

Taxonomic note
Subspecies kalidupae previously placed in Otus manadensis (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) but now transferred to O. magicus following O'Connell et al. (2020). O. manadensis, O. mendeni and O. sulaensis (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as O. manadensis following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993). Probably closely related to O. elegans and O. collari, and until recently considered to include O. siaoensis (see related note/s), O. mendeni and O. sulaensis (see related note/s); these six appear to form a species-group. Classification and true affinities of Otus taxa in SE Asia, particularly island forms, highly complex, with relationship between present species and O. magicus not fully understood. Formerly treated as conspecific with O. magicus; has been considered to include O. beccarii. Recently listed as including O. elegans, perhaps in error. Sulu form sibutuensis, currently included in O. mantananensis, sometimes placed with present species. Monotypic.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2022. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip.

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be common and widespread (del Hoyo et al. 1999, Eaton et al. 2021) and this is supported by citizen science data (eBird 2022).

Trend justification: The population is suspected of declining slowly owing to slow rates of forest cover loss in its range, equivalent to c.5% in the ten years to 2021 (Global Forest Watch 2022, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein). The species is however tolerant of habitat degradation, and therefore ongoing declines are suspected of being between 1 and 9% over ten years.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Sulawesi Scops-owl Otus manadensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/sulawesi-scops-owl-otus-manadensis on 13/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 13/01/2025.