Jungle Owlet

Overview

The jungle owlet, also known as the barred jungle owlet (Glaucidium radiatum), is a small owl native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is often detected by its distinctive calls at dawn and dusk.

Identification

• A small owlet with a rounded head and no clear facial disk, finely barred all over.
• Upper parts are dark black-brown barred with white, with white and rufous patches on the wing coverts; lower sides are whitish or pale rufous barred with black.
• Features yellow irises and a greenish bill and tarsi with black claws.
• Produces a distinctive call consisting of a rapid series of 'prao..prao.prao-prao-prao' that increases and fades in volume.

Habitat

Found in habitats ranging from scrub forest to deciduous and moist deciduous forests, south of the Himalayas and in some parts of the Himalayas up to an elevation of 2,000 m. The range extends from Dalhousie in the west to Bhutan in the east, including Sri Lanka where it occupies drier forests compared to the chestnut-backed owlet.

Diet

The diet consists of insects, small birds, reptiles, and rodents. Peak foraging hours occur an hour before sunrise and after sunset, though they occasionally capture small warblers during the day.

Did you know?

When disturbed, the owlet freezes and appears like a dead tree stump, a camouflage strategy that complements its roosting habits in tree cavities.