Asian Barred Owlet
Glaucidium cuculoides
A medium-sized, rotund owl often found during the day on exposed perches such as telephone wires. Brown overall with brown-barred underparts. 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. Calls (a long series of mellow toots) mostly at night, but can often be located during the day by the presence of mobbing songbirds. Found in a wide range of wooded habitats, including large parks and gardens.
Identification
The Asian barred owlet is a small owl that sits at 22–25 cm (8.7–9.8 in). The males weigh 150–176 g (0.331–0.388 lb) and the females up to 240 g (0.53 lb). Like most owls in the True owl family, the females are usually larger than the males. They are dark brown or olive-brown with a white throat patch and are densely barred. Their breast and belly is whitish in colour with dark brown bars. Its tail and wings are dark brown with whitish bars. Unlike other pygmy owl species, they do not have false eyes on the back of their head. The juveniles have a streaked breast, not barred, and their head is a more ruddy brown colour. They are similar in appearance to the Javan owlet and collared owlet. 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.
Taxonomy
The Asian barred owl (Glaucidium cuculoides) is part of the Strigidae family, also known as the true owls. Within the family, there are 28 genera with 194 species. The genus Glaucidium includes the pygmy owls and is closely related to the genus Athene. The genus Glaucidium includes 26 species, such as the Asian barred owlet. The species was first described in 1831 and named Noctua cuculoides before being reclassified to the genus Glaucidium. On occasion, the name Taenioglaux cuculoides has been used synonymously to Glaucidium cuculoides when referring to the Asian barred owlet. There are currently eight recognized subspecies of the Asian barred owlet:
- Scientific name
- Glaucidium cuculoides
- Authority
- (Vigors, 1830)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Glaucidium
Range and habitat
Asian barred owlets 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 2,100 m (6,900 ft) in elevation. The highest recorded sighting was at 2,700 m (8,900 ft) in the Himalayas of north Pakistan. They also sometimes live around developed areas in gardens and parks. Asian barred owlets have also displayed a preference for secondary forests over primary forests in parts of their range.<p>Asian barred owlets are widespread in the mainland of southeast Asia. They can be found in southeast China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, northeast India and the foothills of the Himalayas into Pakistan.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
Migration pattern: Vertical migration.
Conservation
Population trend: rising.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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