BROWN FISH OWL

Description:

The Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis) is a species of owl that is part of the family known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most living owls.The Brown Fish-Owl is the most widespread in the region. It is nocturnal, but it may easily flush from its daytime roost. Here its displayed has warm buffish-brown colour with conspicuous blackish-brown streaks on crown and upperparts. On the upperwing, the dark brown wing-coverts and the flight feathers are mottled whitish-buff. Scapulars and bib are streaked whitish. The tail is barred brown and buff. The underparts are buffish-white with long dark brown streaks and thin pale rufous cross-lines. Like in other Ketupa species, tarsi are unfeathered. On the head, the crown is mostly flat with conspicuous horizontal, floppy ear-tufts. Facial disc is buff with dark upper cheek. The bill is greenish-grey with darker tip. The eyes are golden yellow to bright yellow. Legs and feet are yellowish. Toes are equipped with spiny scales on the underside, to grip the slippery fish

Habitat:

This species is an all-year resident throughout Sri Lanka and most tropical and subtropical parts of the India to Southeast Asia and adjoining regions. The typical habitat of brown fish owls is forest and woodland bordering streams, lakes or rice fields. It inhabits mainly the lowlands, from open woodland to dense forest as well as in plantations; It frequently spends the day in stands of bamboo or other large shady trees. They be found around water reservoirs, along canals, on the outskirts of villages and along sea coasts.