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For a few moments on Apr. 15, visitors using the mangrove boardwalk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve were treated to an unusual sight.

A nocturnal bird, casually hanging out on the ground in the middle of the day.

This fluffy, this nocturnal individual is actually a juvenile owl. Specifically, a Sunda scops owl.

Taken in by NParks

Daniel Neo, a birder and photographer, happened to be at the scene at around 3pm.

He shared with Mothership that there were "not too many people" around at the time. Those present admired the bird, took a few photos, and moved on.

As for the owl, it was not moving, but "calmly looking" at the towering visitors around it.

Two NParks staff members had gotten there before he did.

Although he heard them mention the bird had probably fallen from a nest, he could not see the nest himself.

They were joined by another staff member who brought with some gloves and a bag to safely capture the bird.

Apparently, they had considered looking for the bird's nest to return it, but concluded that they were unable to do so and brought it under their care.

In response to Mothership's queries, NParks said that the owl was rescued and released after the vet assessed that it was healthy.

Sunda scops owl

The Sunda scops owl is a resident of Singapore, though relatively uncommon.

Its diet mainly consists of insects, but occasionally includes rodents, lizards and small birds.

They are one of the smaller species of owls in Singapore, with the adult standing at just 23cm tall.

Native to the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and Java, juveniles have a paler plumage.

For reference, here's a photo of an adult Sunda scops owl:

And here's a pair of adult and juvenile spotted in Pasir Ris Park late last year:

More owl content

Top images via Daniel Neo/Facebook.