Andaman scops owl

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Andaman scops owl
Andaman scops owl

Andaman scops owl

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Owls (Strigiformes)
Family : Real owls (Strigidae)
Genre : Scops Owls ( Otus )
Type : Andaman scops owl
Scientific name
Otus balli
( Hume , 1873)

The Andaman Scops Owl ( Otus balli ), also known as the Andaman Owl , is a species of owl belonging to the scops owl genus . It occurs on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal .

Appearance

The Andaman Scops Owl reaches a size of 18 to 19 centimeters. There is a reddish-brown and a gray-brown color morph. The eyebrows are light and the feather ears are barely protruding. The top is sparsely covered with black and white spots. The brown and tan hand and arm wings are banded in white. The tail is banded brown and tan. The bottom is grayer and lighter than the top. The breast is characterized by fine wavy lines and thin black spots. The iris is yellow, hazel brown or brown, the bill yellow or greenish horn-colored. The legs are one third or half feathered. The feet are flesh-colored-gray to greenish-yellow. In juvenile birds, the skull, chest and elytra are fine, dense banding.

Vocalizations

The territorial call consists of muffled nasal tones played individually or at short irregular intervals.

habitat

The Andaman Scops Owl inhabits semi-open areas, settlements, cultivated areas and gardens. Occasionally you can spot them in bungalows.

Way of life

The Andaman scops owl is a local, nocturnal bird. The diet consists mainly of caterpillars as well as beetles and other insects. Like a parrot, it sneaks up to the caterpillars and pecks them from the leaves. The breeding season is from February to April. The nest is built in natural tree hollows or abandoned burrows by woodpeckers and bearded birds, usually two to four meters above the ground. The clutch consists of two to three eggs.

literature

  • Claus König, Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2 .
  • J. Del Hoyo, A. Elliot, J. Sargatal (Eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World . Volume 5: Barn-Owls to Hummingbirds. Lynx Edicions, 1999, ISBN 84-87334-25-3 .

Web links