A Jungle Owlet basking in the pleasant morning Sun!
Image by Hari K Patibanda
A common resident Owlet found in the forest areas in the country. They can be often heard in the forests calling especially mornings and evenings, but they are active throughout the day. The birds are quite predatory in the night and hence the calls attract a variety of birds that gang up and chase the owlets away.
That morning, we heard constant calls of these Owlets – 3 – 4 of them at the same time and sighted 2 of them. That brought out Bulbuls, babblers, Drongoes, Rose Ringed Parakeets and few other birds all of which searched for the Owlets and chased them away from several trees. The Owlets moved several times and sat quietly in some trees – often close to us, but they did it with such stealth that 3 of us didn’t see them coming or going.
This is nearing end of Spring here, but there were still several bare trees that the owlets could find some space on. The trees with canopy and fruit support several nesting birds and the summer breeding season is starting – no wonder the Owlets are so unwelcome.
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