Mountain Scops Owl

The mountain scops owl (Otus spilocephalus), sometimes referred to as the spotted scops owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. Its range extends across much of south and southeast Asia, from Pakistan and the Himalayas in the northwest, through Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia in the east and south. The nominate subspecies of the eastern Himalayas has a distinct more russet plumage. (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is an altitudinal migrant. The owls have a short high-pitched call like a two-note whistle, "plew-plew" or "he-he", although the female's songs are rarely heard. Their calls also differ between geographic population. The accessible general account establishes the species identity, distribution and the natural-history points stated above. Behaviour, diet and breeding can vary geographically, and the available source does not support adding precise Vietnam-specific measurements or nesting dates. This profile therefore retains only species-wide information that can be stated defensibly, rather than filling gaps with unsupported local claims (Wikipedia, general species account).