It is very similar to the rainforest scops owl Otus rutilus, and possibly indistinguishable from it.

Some small plumage and vocal differences were noted but minimal genetic divergence was found.

[2] This taxon is endemic to the western parts of Madagascar.

The taxonomy is in a state of flux but recent genetic studies have placed the Pemba scops owl closer to the clade containing the African scops owl Otus sengalensis, while the Mayotte scops owl is clearly separate from the remaining two.

The status of the rainforest and Torotoroka scops owls as separate species is debatable as there is very little genetic distance between the two taxa[4][5] and subsequent studies have suggested that the plumage differences between O. rutilus and O. madagascariensis are small and that their voices intergrade.