Sri Lankan Mask Owl
| Sri Lankan Mask Owl | ||||||||||
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Sri Lankan Masked Owl ( Phodilus assimilis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Phodilus assimilis | ||||||||||
| Hume , 1877 |
The Sri Lankan masked owl ( Phodilus assimilis ) is a species of the barn owl family . It occurs only in Southeast Asia. The species is occasionally listed as a subspecies of the masked owl. The ornithologist Claus König grants their species status because their vocalizations differ noticeably from those of the masked owl.
features
The Sri Lankan masked owl reaches a body length of 29 centimeters. It is very similar to the masked owl , but is darker and brownish on the upper side of the body. The top of the body is dense white and black mottled. The wings and tail have noticeable horizontal stripes. The face veil is heart-shaped and overlaid with pink.
The range of the Sri Lankan masked owl is the extreme southwest of the Indian subcontinent as well as the south of Sri Lanka. It is a resident bird that prefers to occur in wetlands and colonizes evergreen forests and mangroves. Their altitude distribution ranges from lowlands to altitudes of 1200 meters above sea level. The way of life is very similar to the masked owl. The species prefers to breed in tree hollows. The clutch consists of two to three white eggs.
supporting documents
Single receipts
literature
- Claus König , Friedhelm Weick: Owls of the World . Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2