Barred Jungle Owlet

Facts about Barred Jungle Owlet. The Barred Jungle Owlet is native to India and is a common sight there. The Barred Jungle Owlet was first described by Samuel Tickell in 1833. "Scientific name for Barred Jungle Owlet is Glaucidium radiatum". The Barred Jungle Owlet can be called Taenioglaux radiatum. The Barred Jungle Owlet is also simply called the Jungle Owlet. It is a member of the Strigidae family and Strigiformes family.

Physical Characteristics of Barred Jungle Owlet

The Barred Jungle Owlet has a round head and lacks ear tufts. It has a small facial disk that blends into the face. The Barred Jungle Owlet has short eyebrows and a white mustache streak. The Barred Jungle Owlet has bright yellow eyes with a blue cere. Their wings are overwhelmingly brown. The Barred Jungle Owlet have white patches on the breast but most of the body is grayish brown with darker rufous bars – hence the “barred” in the name. The Barred Jungle Owlet have some bars on their backs and bottom that are white.
The Glaucidium radiatum owl has a yellow tinted bill. These owls are about eight inches long (20.3 cm). Its black talons are powerful given their small size.
This is a monotypic species, meaning there are no regional sub-populations with distinctive characteristics. There is some discussion of considering the owls in the Western Ghats with a shorter tail and more brown on the head as a subspecies.

Behavior of Barred Jungle Owlet

The Barred Jungle Owlet are most active an hour before sunrise and sunset. The Barred Jungle Owlet are active throughout the night but may be seen flying during cloudy days. The Barred Jungle Owlets prefer to remain on the top of trees when hunting. The Barred Jungle Owlet tend to roost during the day in tree hollows or shaded tree branches. The Barred Jungle Owlets nest in tree hollows or abandoned woodpecker nests. They lay two to four eggs in a nest at least ten feet off the ground; those in Sri Lanka usually only lay two eggs per clutch. Its breeding season lasts from March until May. The Barred Jungle Owlet does not migrate within its range.
The Barred Jungle Owlet has a musical trill that starts soft, grows louder, and fades away. Each trill contains three to ten notes. They will sing from exposed perches. The Barred Jungle Owlets do not have a significant fear of humans.
The Barred Jungle Owlet eats whatever if can get. The Barred Jungle Owlet mostly eats large insects like grasshoppers and cicadas, but it will eat mice, smaller birds, lizards, and snails.
These owls are sometimes found in small groups, but are as often found as individuals or in pairs.

Habitat of Barred Jungle Owlet

The Barred Jungle Owlet lives in hilly forests, but not the elevated mountain forests above 6,000 feet (), except for Sri Lanka, where they are rarely found above 3,000 feet (). It lives in secondary forests with bamboo. It appears in moist deciduous forests.

Range of Barred Jungle Owlet

The Barred Jungle Owlet ranges from west Himachal to West Bengal, from the edge of the Himalayas to Sri Lanka. The species is not considered vulnerable per the IUCN because the population is stable and not fragmented. It is considered of least concern.

Trivia about Barred Jungle Owlet

The chestnut-backed owlet was once considered part of this species until it was found to be a distinct species, Glaucidium castanonotum. That species is only found in the wetter portions of Sri Lanka; this species is considered near threatened due to human deforestation on Sri Lanka, reducing the owl’s range.