The scops owl is a tiny member of the strigid family of raptors, with a wingspan of no more than 60 cm. Its appearance could be similar to that of a pygmy or little owl, but its longer body and more flattened head allow it to be identified from these species. It is a color-changing mammal that can blend in with the branches of the trees it lives in, ranging from gray to brown with black spots. With a wingspan of barely more than 35 cm, the pygmy owl is the second-smallest strigid species found in Europe.
