Strix rufescens Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. (1821), 13, pt. 1,
140.
Scops rufescens Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1875), 2, 102;
Proc. Zool. Soc. (1879), 314; Hand-List (1899), 1, 287.
Otus rufescens McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 46.
Sulu (Burbidge). Malay Peninsula, Greater Sunda Islands.
Adult.--"Everywhere bright tawny-rufous, browner on the head and upper
parts generally, these also varied with small triangular cross-bars of
fulvous, which become larger and more distinct on the wing-coverts;
the outer margin of the scapulars paler and more inclining to
tawny-fulvous; ear-coverts 25 mm. long, and colored like the head;
lores and forehead clear fulvous, with little black spots along the
shaft of the feathers; sides of face rufous; inclining to dark brown
around the eye; behind the ear-coverts a line of black feathers running
down the sides of the neck; under surface of body tawny-rufous, paler
on the lower parts, and varied with little tiny spots of black along
the shafts, less distinct toward the abdomen, and absent on thighs and
under tail-coverts, which are uniform tawny-buff; quills dark brown,
barred across with fulvous, paler on the outer margin of primaries,
but less distinct on the secondaries, which are almost uniform rufous
like the back, but with indistinct bars of dark brown on the inner
web; tail rufous, mottled with dark brown vermiculations, making it
look darker than the back, with remains of five or six, more or less
plainly indicated, fulvous bars; under wing-coverts buffy white,
more tawny on outer edge, and having a line of dark brown feathers
near the outer margin. Length, 239; culmen, 229; wing, 132; tail,
66; tarsus, 27." (Sharpe.)
This species is included in the Philippine list because of the single
specimen collected by Burbidge which, however, may really represent
an undescribed species. Sharpe says: "This bird seems to me to differ
slightly from Bornean and Malaccan examples in having a much darker
face, the ear-coverts shaded with black. I do not, however, propose
to found a new species on a single example, and must wait for more
specimens. The measurements of the Sooloo [=Sulu] bird are as follows:
Length, 178; culmen, 18; wing, 122; tail, 66; tarsus, 22."