Today we are going to familiarize the bird Spotted Owlet. In ‘Malayalam’ vernacular, the bird is called as “ Pully Nathu”.
Scientific name of the bird is Athene brama.
Spotted Owlet occurs in tropical Asian countries including India and Southeast Asian countries.
In Kerala, the bird is a common resident of open forest areas, mangrove stands, agricultural fields and human habitation. Also adapted to living in cities. Spotted Owlets roost in small groups in hollows of trees, coconut palms or in cavities in rocks or in abandoned buildings.
Spotted owlet is a small and stocky bird, about 21 centimetres in length with rounded head and spotted crown. Facial disc is dark bordered with white. Supercilium white and curved. Eyes large and iris golden yellow. Upper parts are greyish brown with scattered white spots. The underparts are white, streaked with brown. Flight-feathers and wing-coverts mottled or spotted white. Tail short and narrowly banded, lacking conspicuous white tip. Breast creamy-white with short dark grey to brownish bars. Tarsi long and thin, with short feathers to base of toes. Toes yellowish-green. Cere greenish and bill greenish-horn, yellower on culmen. There is a white neckband. Sexes are similar. The flight is deeply undulating.
Spotted Owlet is a nocturnal species but can be seen rarely in the day. When disturbed from their daytime perching site, they bob their head and stare at intruders.
The bird hunts a variety of insects and small vertebrates. Hunts mainly from perch and occasionally hovers before swooping on prey. Small roosting birds, rodents, bats, toads and frogs, small snakes, scorpion, and molluscs are the major foods.
The breeding season is January to May. They nest in cavities often competing with other hole-nesters such as mynas, rollers and parakeets. They may also nest in holes in vertical embankments. The nest may be lined with leaves and feathers or may use the existing lining from a prior occupant.
The typical clutch is of three to four spherical white eggs. Female bird incubates. Incubation begins with the first laid eggs leading to a wide variation in the size of the chicks. Both male and female birds feed nestlings. The young are fed initially on insects such as cockroaches and later fed small vertebrate prey such as mice. The fledging period is about 32 days, young remain with adults for 3 weeks after fledging.
Five subspecies of Spotted Owlet have been recognized. Athene brama brama occurs in South India, including Kerala.
The call of the bird is a harsh and loud churring and chuckling chirurr-chirurr-chirurr ending with a chirwak-chirwak and they call mainly during early dawn or just after sunset. The call of the bird is considered as a bad omen.
Spotted Owlets, very familiar in villages especially due to their loud calls during early dawn and late dusk, and the same have been considered as bad omens. The scientific name of the bird refers to the Athene, the Greek goddess and the Brahma, the Hindu supreme spirit. In Hindu mythology, the owl is a mount or vahan of Maha Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
In IUCN Global Red List, included under “ Least Concern’.
Негізгі бет Spotted Owlet | Athene brama | Pully Nathu | പുള്ളിനത്ത് | Bird Diversity Kerala | Malayalam | Wild
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