The Scops owl, also known as the cat owl or night owl, is a small owl species. It belongs to the Strigidae family and is similar in shape to the Eurasian scops owl. In traditional Chinese medicine, the Scops owl is mainly used to treat malaria. Let's take a closer look at the morphological characteristics and main value of the Scops owl.
【Morphological Characteristics of the Scops Owl】
The Scops owl is a small owl species, weighing about 75g and measuring about 18cm in total length. Its tail is about 6.5cm long. Its head resembles that of a cat, with a gray-brown facial disk mixed with fine black lines. The facial disk is surrounded by a not very prominent light brown collar. The ear feathers are erect with a brown base and the same color as the top of the head. The eyes are white at the front and decorated with black feathers. The beak is dark green, and the lower beak has a milky yellow tip.
The upper body of the Scops owl, including the wings and tail, is gray-brown. The top of the head to the back is mixed with brown and white spots. The outer shoulder feathers have brown and white spots, and the feather tips are black-brown. The outer wing covert feathers also have brown and white spots at the tips. The flight feathers are black-brown, except for the outermost ones. The rest of the outer wing feathers are connected by spots, forming horizontal bands. The chin is brown and white.
The lower body of the Scops owl is mostly gray-white. The feathers are densely covered with dark chestnut-colored fine crossbars and coarse blackish-brown feather shaft marks, scattered with chestnut-brown spots. The abdomen is white with not very prominent black-brown spots near the base. The underwing covert feathers are pure white, and each feather has a brown patch. The feather tips have fine brown spots. The leg feathers are light brown with dense brown spots. The toes are gray, and the claws are dark horn-gray.
The Scops owl is found in areas such as Qingyang, Pingliang, Tianshui, and Longnan. It inhabits tall deciduous forests at altitudes of 700-1300m. It is active at night, hiding near villages and towns at dusk and perching on large tree crowns. Its main diet consists of insects. It nests in tree holes. It is distributed in provinces and regions such as Northeast China, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, and Xinjiang. During winter migration, it passes through the southeastern coastal areas. The type specimen was collected in Italy.
【Main Value of the Scops Owl】
The medicinal value of the Scops owl mainly comes from its meat or bones. After hunting, the feathers and internal organs are removed, and the fresh meat is boiled and eaten. The bones are calcined and ground into powder for storage. The fried meat of the Scops owl, when consumed, can treat malaria. When roasted and ground into powder, it can treat rat ulcers, epilepsy, and loss of appetite.
According to "Jilin Medicinal Herbs," it can be used to treat dysphagia: Take two Scops owls that have not grown feathers, wrap them in yellow mud, calcine and grind them into fine powder. Mix with warm wine and drink, 6g each time, twice a day.
In terms of culinary value, "The Book of Origins" suggests using the Scops owl to treat fatigue: Boil and dry the Scops owl with wine, steam it with flat mint and 7 large eels until soft, then mix with 500g of Chinese yam, grind into fine powder, and take 9g on an empty stomach with wine.
