Jungle Owlet
Glaucidium radiatum
Squat little owl with dense barring all over the body. Lacks the false eyes on the back of the head possessed by many other owlets. Gives bursts of loud hollow trills, comparable to barbets, as well as a mellow “kaaaooo-kaaaaooo-kah-ow!” A forest species, found in densely wooded areas in lowlands and foothills. Most active at dawn and dusk.
Identification
This small owlet has a rounded head and is finely barred all over. There is no clear facial disk and the wings are brownish and the tail is narrowly barred in white. There are two subspecies, the nominate form is found in the plains of India and Sri Lanka, while G. r. malabaricum of the Western Ghats is shorter tailed and shows more brown on the head. It has been suggested that the latter may warrant full species status.<p>The plumage on the upper parts is dark black-brown barred with white. The wing coverts have white and rufous patches. The primaries and secondaries are dark brown and barred with pale chestnut. The lower side is whitish or pale rufous barred with black. There is a whitish patch on the chin, upper breast and centre of the abdomen. The iris is yellow, the bill and tarsi are greenish with black claws.<p>In Sri Lanka, the chestnut-backed owlet (Glaucidium castanonotum) was once included as a subspecies but this is elevated to full species. It is found in the wet zone ,whereas G. radiatum is found in drier forests.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Glaucidium radiatum
- Authority
- (Tickell, 1833)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Glaucidium
Range and habitat
They are found in habitats ranging from scrub forest to deciduous and moist deciduous forests. They are found south of the Himalayas and in some parts of the Himalayas up to an elevation of 2,000 m (6,600 ft), extending from Dalhousie in the west, east to Bhutan.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This owlet is mainly active at dawn and dusk, but is known to call and fly during the daytime as well. The call is distinctive and consists of a rapid series of prao..prao.prao-prao-prao that increases and then fades in volume before ending abruptly. At their daytime roosts, they may be mobbed by drongos, treepies and sunbirds. During the day, young nestlings produce tick calls not unlike that of a pale-billed flowerpecker.<p>The Jungle Owlets roost inside tree cavities and when disturbed they freeze and appear like a dead tree stump. They sometimes perch prominently on wires or bask in the morning sun before retiring to their roost. Also, they have been known to capture small Phylloscopus warblers during the day, although their peak foraging hours are an hour before sunrise and after sunset. Their diet consists of insects, small birds, reptiles, and rodents.<p>The breeding season in India is March to May, and they nest in the hollow of a tree at a height of 3 to 5 m (10 to 16 ft). The typical clutch consists of four eggs (three eggs in G. r. malabaricum).
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
Plump, medium-sized shorebird with very long bill. Extremely similar to Long-billed Dowitcher, and often flocks with it. Best distinguished by voice: a rapid series of notes, “tu-tu-tu”, lower-pitched and almost always in a series, unlike single piercing “keek!” of Long-billed. At all ages, look for subtle structural differences: Short-billed averages flatter-backed, slightly shorter-billed, and slightly shorter, especially noticeable when in a mixed flock. Breeding birds are intricately patterned with a variable amount of orange on the underparts. Short-billed usually has some white on the belly, and paler upperparts with bolder golden and white markings. Also look for messy and extensive spotting on sides, not sparsely barred like Long-billed Dowitcher. Nonbreeding plumage is brownish-gray overall with a paler belly; extremely similar to Long-billed but averaging slightly paler and more patterned, especially on the breast and sides. Juveniles are easiest to identify: look for bright golden markings on the tertials and scapulars. Short-billed breeds in grassy wetlands and tundra, and can be found in a variety of wetland habitats in migration and winter. A very early fall migrant, with southbound birds appearing in the U.S. by late June. Usually in flocks, feeding actively like a sewing machine. Tends to favor saltwater marshes, beaches, and mudflats. Somewhat less likely in freshwater habitats than Long-billed, but much overlap, especially the hendersoni subspecies that migrates primarily through the center of the continent.
Marquesan Ground Dove
Pampusana rubescens
A rotund, short-legged ground-dwelling dove that usually runs rather than flies when startled. Slate-gray belly contrasts with paler gray chest and head, and with purplish shoulders and back. No similar species occur in its range. Apparently rarely vocal, but has been heard giving a snarling sound.
Moluccan Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles crinifrons
A large owlet-nightjar of lowland and foothill forests. Rufous or dark brown morphs present and also intergrades. Three broad, pale buffy, vertical bands on the chest separated by 2 dark bands. Distinctive white stars on the back and dark arrowhead marks on the chest. The only owlet-nightjar in its range. Call a series of 3 or more descending notes “weuuu we-wu” with the first the longest and downslurred. Sometimes followed by a maniacal cackle.
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