- Otus bakkamoena
Identification
23-25cm. Small head tufts, or ears. The upperparts are grey or brown, with faint buff spotting. The underparts are buff with fine darker streaking.
The facial disc is whitish or buff, and the eyes are orange or brown. There is a buff neckband. Sexes are similar. The flight is deeply undulating.
Distribution
Pakistan, northern India and the Himalayas east to south China.
Taxonomy
This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.
Collared Scops Owl, Otus lettia, is sometimes considered a subspecies of the species presented here, Indian Scops Owl. In those publications where the taxon lettia is included into Otus bakkamoena, it is the common name Collared Scops Owl that is used for the combined species.
Habitat
Forests and well-wooded areas.
Behaviour
It nests in a hole in a tree, laying 3-5 eggs.
Nocturnal.
Diet is mainly insects.
