Spotted Owlet

Overview

The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a small, stocky owl that breeds across tropical Asia from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia. It is a common resident of open habitats, including farmland and human habitation, and has successfully adapted to living in cities.

Identification

• A small and stocky bird, barely 21 cm (8.3 in) in size.
• Upperparts are grey-brown and heavily spotted with white, while underparts are white and streaked with brown.
• Features a pale facial disc, yellow iris, and a distinct white neckband and supercilium.
• Flight is deeply undulating.
• Call is a harsh and loud churring and chuckling 'chirurr-chirurr-chirurr' ending with 'chirwak-chirwak'.

Habitat

Found across tropical Asia ranging from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia. It inhabits open environments such as farmland and human settlements, often roosting in small groups in the hollows of trees or cavities in rocks and buildings.

Diet

They hunt a variety of insects and small vertebrates, including rodents, bats, toads, small snakes, scorpions, and molluscs. In arid regions like Jodhpur, they tend to favour the genus Mus over other rodents, particularly prior to the breeding season.

Did you know?

The species possesses a pineal gland, which was formerly thought to be absent in owls. Its melatonin concentration shows only slight variation between day and night, unlike other owls such as the barn owl which exhibit little day-night variation.