Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl
Ketupa nipalensis
The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl (Ketupa nipalensis) is a rare owl found in 11 countries. The spot-bellied eagle-owl, also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance.
About the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl
The spot-bellied eagle-owl, also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species is considered part of a superspecies with the barred eagle-owl, which looks quite similar but is allopatric in distribution.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The spot-bellied eagle-owl is a large species of owl. It measures from 50 to 65 cm (20 to 26 in) in length. It is the sixth longest owl in the world on average and has the ninth longest wings of any living owl. The widely reported weight range for this species is 1.3 to 1.5 kg (2.9 to 3.3 lb), but this is probably towards the low end (possibly from K. n. blighi) or is possibly representative only of smaller males. Voice: This owl is noted for its strange, human-sounding call, and it has been suggested that it is the same as the cryptid known as ulama or "Devil Bird" in Sri Lanka. A local name is Maha Bakamuna ("large horned owl"). According to http://www.cryptozoology.com, in July 2001 it was confirmed that ulama description perfectly matches spot-bellied eagle-owl.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Laos.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl?
- The spot-bellied eagle-owl is a large species of owl. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl?
- The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl occurs in 11 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Bhutan.
- What birds look similar to a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl?
- The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl is most easily confused with the Dusky Eagle-Owl, the Barred Eagle-Owl and the Tawny Fish Owl.
- Is the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl endangered?
- The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl for real
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