OWLS (CONTI..)

Author: Mazhar Ali
Published on: Aug 7, 2001

COLLARED SCOPS OWL
SIZE length 23-25cm(9-10in).
FIELD CHARACTERS a small” eared” owl, very similar to Indian Scops: differentiated from it chiefly by presence of a prominent pale collar on hind neck (upper back). Above, gray-brown or rufous-brown, mottled and vermiculated with whitish. Below, chin and throat whitish, the latter barred and stippled with black and with fine wavy bars of reddish brown.
SEXES Alike.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC Resident. Duars, foothills, and up to 2400 m (subspecies –Lettia)-open forest of Sal, oak and pine; also groves of trees and bamboo around habitations and cultivation. Entirely nocturnal, thus oftener heard than seen.
FOOD large insects, lizards, mice.
CALL a soft, interrogative wut? Or what? Repeated monotonously every few seconds over long periods between dusk and dawn.

FOREST EAGLE-OWL
SIZE A large, powerful nocturnal owl with two projecting black-and-white ear tufts, fully feathered legs, and brown eyes. Above, dark brown, scalloped with buff. Below, fulvous-white barred with blackish on throat and breast, and chevron-like marks on belly.
SEXES alike.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC Resident. Submontane tracts, duars and foothills normally up to 900-1200m, locally to 2000m: tropical moist-deciduous or evergreen forest. Solos or pairs. Largely nocturnal, spending the daytime on some leafy bough in deep forest. A bold and powerful hunter, pouncing on large game birds such as peafowl and jungle fowl at their nightly roosts.
FOOD also takes small mammals-hares, newly born fawns, etc, lizard, snakes and fish.
CALL a deep, eerie, moaning hoot. The long-drawn kite-like whistle circulating attributed to it needs verification.

TAWNY FISH OWL
SIZE Kite; stouter built. Length 60cm (24in).
FIELD CHARACTERSa large orange-rufous”eared” owl, heavily streaked with blackish on upper parts. Much buff on scapulars and wing-coverts. Below, rich orange-rufous with dark brown shaft-stripes, broadest on breast. A white throat-patch. Legs unfeathered; eyes yellow.
SEXES alike.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC Resident. Submontane tracts, duars foothills up to 1500m: outscored forested banks of hill streams especially where they debouch into the plains. Pairs. Crepuscular and partially diurnal, sometimes even hunting in daytime. Perches in leafy trees overlooking water. Swoops down to capture fish from near surface.
FOOD mainly fish. Also crabs, rodents, lizards, and large insects.
CALL a deep whoo-hoo; also a cat-like mewing note.