|
 |
| The Silent Hunter Killer – The Asian Barred Owlet |
| The Asian Barred Owlet also known as the Cuckoo Owlet is a medium-sized, rotund owl often found during the day on exposed perches such as telephone wires. Brown overall with brown-barred underparts. It boasts a striking pattern of bars across its chest and wings, with a predominantly greyish-brown plumage. Their conspicuous white eyebrows give them a distinctive appearance that sets them apart from other similar-sized owl species. Similar to Collared Owlet, but Asian Barred lacks false eye spots on the back of the head, has darker brown barring on the sides, and is larger. Found in a wide range of wooded habitats, including large parks and gardens, can often be located during the day by the presence of mobbing songbirds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Asian Barred Owlet is a smaller owl, measuring 22 to 25 cm making it one of the larger pygmy owls. The males weigh 150 to 176 gms and the females up to 240 gms. Like most owls in the True Owl family, the females are usually larger than the males. it is a fairly large owlet with no “false eyes” on nape. The head is grey-brown, barred buff; whitish eyebrows; upperparts dark brown, barred buff to fulvous; scapulars edged buff-white, forming row of spots down sides of back; tail and wings dark brown, barred; below, white patches on throat and middle breast, rest of underparts barred dark and light; iris yellow; bill yellow-green, darker on cere; feet greyish-yellow or dull horn-green. Distinguished from The Spotted Owlet by barred instead of spotted upperparts; from The Jungle Owlet by larger size and darker coloration. They are similar in appearance to the Javan Owlet and Collared Owlet. There are eight subspecies recognised and they differ mainly in coloration and plumage with Eastern races like rufescens found in North East India more rufous, with lower underparts and flanks broadly streaked rufous on white. . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Asian Barred Owlet is a species of pygmy owl native to the forests and shrublands of mainland South East-Asia to the foothills of the Himalayas of Northern Pakistan. They are commonly found in woodland habitats such as forests of pine and oak, subtropical and tropical evergreen jungles at lower elevations. They can also be found in foothills to submontane regions upto 2,100 mtr. The highest recorded sighting was at 2,700 mtr in the Himalayas of North Pakistan. They also sometimes live around developed areas in gardens and parks. They have also displayed a preference for secondary forests over primary forests in parts of their range. Mainly resident. Asian barred owlets are resident birds and do not migrate long distances. They will move locally and tend to make local elevational movements by moving to lower elevations in the non-breeding season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … It has an Eclectic diet, and eats mainly insects, including beetles, grasshoppers and cicadas, frogs, lizards, rodents and small birds. It is mostly diurnal. It hunts from a perch, with undulating flight and catches birds in air and insects in flight or on ground. They have been observed catching Common Quail in flight, snatching them from the air if they fly past. The Asian Barred Owlet is mainly diurnal and will perch on bare branches to hunt freely throughout the day. Being more active during the day, they can often be mobbed by smaller birds and will sit still during the mobbing. Similar to other owlets, they have an undulating flight pattern, a series of rapid flaps then a pause with closed wings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … These nocturnal hunters have a surprisingly powerful set of vocalizations. Their territorial song consists of loud ‘poo-poo’ notes or repeated hooting sounds, often carrying for long distances through the landscape. The Male song is a trill lasting anywhere from 5 to 20 seconds, progressively becoming louder and harsher notes before stopping abruptly, transcribed as “kwuhk kwuhk-ke-kwuhk kwuhk-kekekwurre kwurre kwurre-kwurrekwurrekwurre kwurrekwurr”. They also have a common call which is a smooth “hoop”. They are noisiest at dawn and a couple of hours after sunrise but will vocalize at any time of day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …………………….. ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………. .. ……… …… … …. ……….. Description Credit – Birds of the World (The Cornell Lab), Oiseaux, Birda, Animalia, Nepal Desk, Ogaclicks, Birds of India | Bird World, Bird Count India & Wiki. |
  |
|
