Scops owls are usually migratory, wintering in Africa, South of the Sahara, but here on the island, I hear them throughout the year. They breed in open woodland, parks, and gardens, usually in a hole in a wall or tree. The female will lay a clutch of 4 to 5 eggs, which only she incubates. Both adults care for the chicks which hatch after 25 days and fledge from 21 to 30 days and become independent from 30 to 40 days. Due to their plumage, they are exceedingly difficult to spot, and being nocturnal hunters, almost impossible to photograph. I was incredibly lucky to come across this individual, early one morning, whilst walking the dog. It was sat in the road and trying to photograph it with my phone while trying to stop Brandy from eating it, was not easy. The shots I got are not great, but we left the owl unmolested.