Eurasian scops owl Otus scops L., little owl Athene noctua Scop. Tengmalm's owl Aegolus funereus L., little owl Athene noctua Scop. Early workers sometimes treated members of this species group as subspecies of "Athene noctua". Some species are preyed on by little owls ("Athene noctua") in central Asia. The nocturnal raptor, the little owl ("Athene noctua"), hoots to defend its territory.