Scientific Name :Bubo
nipalensis
The spot-bellied
eagle-owl, also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a
formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian
Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
The overall
plumage of these spot-bellied eagle-owl species is dark brown on the head,
upper wings and upper parts. The throat and the under parts are pale brown. The
upper parts are barred and mottled pale brown. The flanks have black and white
horizontal stripes. The breast, belly and under tail have broad dark brown
spots. The ear-tufts are long and slanting, having feathers of different sizes.
The facial disc is pale buff. The legs and feet are feathered except for the
terminal digits of the toes. The nostrils are round. The beak is curved and
yellowish. The long curved talons are steel gray. The irises are dark brown.
The juveniles are much paler. The call of spot-bellied owl is a deep, booming
"hoo hoo" sound. They also make loud screaming sound.
These spot-bellied
eagle-owl species are highly forest dependent. These species occur in altitudes
from 300 to 3000 meters. The natural ecosystem of these spot-bellied eagle-owl
species includes subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, foothill
forests, moist deciduous forests, subtropical and tropical moist montane
(mountainous or highland) forests, dense evergreen forests and montane wet
temperate forests.
Spot bellied
eagle owl is considered to be rare and as one naturalist stated that a sighting of
one owl of this speices is equivalent to having sighted 5 tigers or 8 leopards on a single safari
at Nagarhole We have been fortunate in
sighting this rare beauty and that too on a clean perch giving us good
photographic opportunities.
Information Courtesy: Google
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