Ryukyu scops owl

　Driving along the roads of Amami Ōshima at night, you can hear the calls of the Ryukyu Scops Owl, “Kohok, Kohok”, coming from the roadside. It is a small owl, about 20cm long, rather plain in appearance, but with striking yellow irises and a rather endearing face.
　The mainland Scops Owl, which calls “Boo, Poo, So”, is a migratory bird staying from spring to autumn, whereas the Ryukyu Scops Owl, distributed south of Amami Ōshima, is a resident bird present year-round. Once considered a regional subspecies of the Eurasian Scops Owl, it is now treated as a separate species. Furthermore, recent research suggests the four subspecies of the Ryukyu Scops Owl may undergo further classification changes.
　In bird guides published a decade from now, the Ryukyu Scops Owl of Amami Ōshima may well be described as distinct from those found on other islands.