From Opus

Photo by James Eaton
Photographed: Melghat Tiger Reserve ,Maharashtra, India

Heteroglaux blewitti

Athene blewitti

[edit] Identification

Crown unspotted or with only fine dots, and upperside mostly unspotted. Underside mostly white with band across upper breast and barring on flanks. Folded wings have rows of white. Have white-feathered legs, yellowish feet with black claws, yellowish bill and pale yellow eyes.

[edit] Similar species

Spotted Owlet is smaller but with longer wings, has barring on most of underside, and has white on crown and back. Little Owl is streaked on underside.

[edit] Distribution

Central India: rediscovered in the plains and foothills of the Akrani Range; historical range included parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa. Habitat loss is suspected to be a threat to this species (7 known pairs in 2000).

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹.

This taxon is often included in the genus Athene.

[edit] Habitat

Open decidous forest with grassy understory.

[edit] Behaviour

Largely diurnal, with signs of being a predator dependent on a sit-and-wait strategy. Prey is largely reptiles.

[edit] Reference

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Ecology and Conservation of Owls, 2002. I Newton, R Kavanagh, J Olsen, and I Taylor (eds). ISBN 0643067949.
3. König, C. and F. Weick 2008. Owls of the World, second edition. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2

[edit] External Links