Otus semitorques pryeri
Japanese Name: リュウキュウオオコノハズク
Chinese Name: 日本領角鴞（琉球亞種）、北領角鴞（琉球亞種）
English Name: Japan Scops-Owl
Origin: Central and Southern Ryukyu Islands
The Japan Scops-Owl is found in Japan, China, Korea, and Russia, and is divided into three subspecies:
- O. s. ussuriensis: Found in northeastern China, southeastern Siberia, and the Korean Peninsula.
- O. s. semitorques: Found from the Kuril Islands and Hokkaido south to Yakushima.
- O. s. pryeri: Found in the central and southern Ryukyu Islands.
The Ryukyu subspecies of the Japan Scops-Owl is about 22 cm in size, slightly larger than the similar Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans elegans), which also inhabits the Yanbaru region. However, it is less commonly seen compared to the Ryukyu Scops Owl.
Some biological introduction websites and even academic reports mistakenly list this species’ scientific name as Otus lempiji pryeri, but Otus lempiji is actually the Sunda Scops-Owl, which is found around Indonesia.