From Opus

Glaucidium radiatum

Photo by James Williams
Location: BR Hills, Karnataka, Southern India

[edit] Identification

20 - 24cm. A small owl with a round head. Entirely finely barred, including flanks. Facial disk also barred with white eyebrows. Dark brown above with rufous wings. Yellow eyes. Malabarium in the south is much more rufous, especially the head and generally darker.
May be confused with Asian Barred Owlet and Collared Owlet. Differs from first in smaller size, rufous primaries and paler appearance. Both species also have streaks on their belly which are lacking in Jungle Owlet. Collared Owlet is usually found on higher altitudes.

[edit] Distribution

India and Sri Lanka. From the Himalayan foothills south to Sri Lanka. No confirmed records in the northeast.

[edit] Taxonomy

May form a superspecies with Chestnut-backed Owlet Glaucidium castanonotum. Two subspecies regognized, the nominate radiatum in most of the range and malabaricum in the Western Ghats in southwest India. The latter may have species status, further study needed.

[edit] Habitat

Scrub and deciduous forests. Also in teak plantations. Avoids wet forest.

[edit] Behaviour

The species is often found in small groups and they are very vociferous at dawn and dusk. Easy to see at day.
Feeds on insects like beetles or locusts. Takes also small birds, lizards and rodents.
Breeding from March to May. Lays 3 eggs, only 2 in Sri Lanka.

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