Possible Barred Eagle Owl? Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur suburbs (2021-12-21) (1 Viewer)

[AntarcticanShrike]

Looks like a juvenile, or just maybe an individual with less prominent forehead markings?

 

[andyb39]

It look like an immature bird, yes. Whereabouts in KL are you? My brother saw this species a couple of times near his condo in Bangsar, so it seems it's invading the suburbs.

 

[Butty]

Yes, barred eagle owl. I'm not clear why it should be immature.

 

[andyb39]

Yes, barred eagle owl. I'm not clear why it should be immature.

Lack of a "bridge" linking the eyes, clean white cheeks, lighter underpart barring, remnants of juvenile plumage on nape and mantle.

 

[Butty]

Lack of a "bridge" linking the eyes, clean white cheeks, lighter underpart barring, remnants of juvenile plumage on nape and mantle.

I see what you mean about the face/neck plumage, but the white patch on the mantle is present on such a very high proportion of photos of the species that I'd guess it's a standard feature of adult plumage.

 

[njlarsen]

There is a nice image of a very young one on our opus page: Barred Eagle-Owl - BirdForum Opus
Niels

 

[James Eaton]

Lack of a "bridge" linking the eyes, clean white cheeks, lighter underpart barring, remnants of juvenile plumage on nape and mantle.

Those are features that separate female from male - males have darker cheeks and denser barring (particularly on upper breast). It's an adult female.

It is a fairly common bird in-and-around KL, I've found a few pairs over the years in the most unlikeliest of localities - usually sat in roadside trees at night across the road from restaurants waiting for the rats to dash across the road!

James