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The Indian eagle-owl, or the Bengal eagle-owl or rock eagle-owl, is a large horned owl species native to hilly and rocky scrub forests in the Indian subcontinent. It is splashed with brown and grey, and has a white throat patch with black small stripes. It was earlier treated as a subspecies of the Eurasian eagle-owl. It is usually seen in pairs. It has a deep resonant booming call that may be heard at dawn and dusk.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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This species is often considered a subspecies of the Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo and is very similar in appearance. The facial disk is unmarked and has a black border, a feature that is much weaker in the Eurasian form. The base of the primaries is unbanded and rufous. The tail bands have the tawny bands wider than the black ones. Additionally, a large pale scapular patch is visible on the folded wing. The inner claws are the longest. The last joint of the toes are unfeathered. The taxonomy of the group is complex due to a large amount of variation.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Indian Eagle-Owl sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in India.
When to see it
Peak activity in February · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Greyish Eagle-OwlBubo cinerascensThis species is about 43 cm (17 in) long and weighs about 500 g (18 oz).
Lesser Horned OwlBubo magellanicusThe lesser horned owl or Magellanic horned owl is a large owl of the genus Bubo found in southern South America, extending north to the central Andes.
Learn the Indian Eagle-Owl for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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