Dusky Eagle Owl
The facial disc is whitish with dark shaft-streaks of feathers and a distinct, narrow and darker rim. The irises of the eyes are bright yellow. The cere and bill are bluish-lead in colour with a pale yellowish-horn tip. The prominent ear-tufts are a darker greyish-brown colour. The upperparts are brownish-grey with blackish shaft-streaks and dark brown and whitish vermiculations. The scapulars have whitish outer webs, finely vermiculated brown, forming an indistinct scapular row. The underparts are very pale buffish-grey with prominent, dark shaft-streaks and brown cross-bars. The primary and secondary flight feathers are barred light and darker greyish-brown.
The tail is pale brownish-grey with white tips and has 4-5 broad, dark greyish-brown bars. The tarsi are feathered to or beyond the base of the toes. The sparsely bristled tips of the toes are plumbeous-grey in colour with paler soles. Claws are blackish-brown. Length 48-53cm. Wing length 380-435mm. Tail length 187-224mm. Females are larger and heavier than males.
Habitat
Well-wooded and well-watered country, never in arid or desert regions. The Dusky Eagle Owl is also found in old mango plantations, and in other densely foliaged trees in proximity of water and habitation, normally on the plains. Occurs up to 250m above sea level. They come from the Indian subcontinent, Nepal and Bangladesh, Burma and Malaysia. Also disjunctly in southeast China.
Diet
Dusky Eagle Owls feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, fish, and large insects.
Breeding
Breeding season overall spans from November to April. In Northern India, it is principally December to January, and later in the south. This owl uses abandoned stick nests of larger birds in the fork of a large tree, preferably standing in or near water. Normally two eggs are laid, sometimes only one. Eggs are white and roundish-oval in shape, averaging 59.3 x 48.2mm. They are laid several days apart, so chicks end up being very different in size. Usually, only the larger and stronger one survives. While both the male and female have been observed on the eggs, it is likely that the female does the incubation, and the male will briefly cover the eggs when the female leaves the nest for a short time. Incubation and fledging periods are unknown.
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Least Concern(LC). The global population size has not been quantified and the number of mature individuals is unknown but the species is reported to be widespread, uncommon to fairly common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.
Threats
There are currently no threats known to this species.
Conservation
There are currently no conservation actions in place for this species as it is widespread in its range.