Sri Lanka Bay Owl - BirdForum Opus

Alternative name: Ceylon Bay Owl

Phodilus assimilis

Photo by Rob Hutchinson
Kerala, India

Identification

A chunky, short-winged and short-tailed Owl. Much darker and browner than Oriental Bay Owl. Heavy black and white spots on a vermiculated background. Heavy bars on wings and tail. Heart-shaped face. Golden collar and patches on scapulars, wing-coverts and tertials.
Sexes similar, juveniles undescribed.

Distribution

Found in Sri Lanka and southwest India (Kerala).

Taxonomy

Formerly considered a subspecies of Oriental Bay Owl. Two subspecies recognized:

• P. a. ripleyi in southwest India
• P. a. assimilis in Sri Lanka

Habitat

Evergreen forest, mixed forest, mangrove edge.

Behaviour

It nests in hollow trees and tree stumps, laying between 3-5 eggs.
Its diet includes small mammals, small birds, reptiles, frogs and insects.
It is completely nocturnal.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Sri Lanka Bay Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 8 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Sri_Lanka_Bay_Owl

External Links

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