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World Owl Trust

Friday July 4th, 2008


Spotted Owlet
Athene brama
Click on small image to view larger one   Athene brama pulchra
As of February 2005.
Description Small squat owl, grey (gray) brown above with white spots, pale below with dark barring. Facial disk bordered with white and with white “eyebrows”. Yellow eyes.
Size 19-21cm, 110-120g
Range S Asia from Iran across the Indian sub-continent (except Sri Lanka) to Vietnam.
Habitat Open or semi-open country including semi-deserts, cultivated areas and mango groves.
Food Mainly invertebrates, also rodents and small birds and lizards.
Breeding November -April depending on region. Nests in cavities in trees, walls, buildings etc. 2-3 eggs, incubated for 28-33 days. Young fledge at about 32 days and remain with parents for a further 3 weeks.
Call Plaintive double whistle, “plew plew”.
Status Not globally threatened and tolerates human activity. dramatically in recent years.
Comments Despite being locally very common and often living close to human habitation, relatively little is known about this owl.
Races The race ultra is sometimes included in indica.
A.b.brama S India
A.b.indica N & C Indian Subcontinent from Afghan border to Assam
A.b.ultra NE Assam
A.b.albida Iran, Baluchistan
A.b.pulchra Myanmar, Thailand (except peninsular), Cambodia, S Laos and S Vietnam

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