Forest owlet

Last updated

Forest owlet
Forest Owlet Athene blewitti by Ashahar alias Krishna Khan.jpeg
Forest owlet at Melghat Tiger Reserve
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Athene
Species:
A. blewitti
Binomial name
Athene blewitti
(Hume, 1873)
Athene blewitti map.png
Current records in red and historic records in grey
Synonyms

Heteroglaux blewitti

The forest owlet (Athene blewitti) is endemic to the forests of central India. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2018, as the population is estimated at less than 1,000 mature individuals. It is threatened foremost by deforestation. [1]

Contents

It is a member of the typical owl family Strigidae, and was first described in 1873. As it was not sighted after 1884, it was considered extinct for many years. [2] In 1997, it was rediscovered by Pamela Rasmussen. Searches in the locality mentioned on the label of the last collected specimen failed, and it turned out that the specimen had been stolen from the British Museum by Richard Meinertzhagen and resubmitted with a label bearing false locality information. [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Heteroglaux blewitti was the scientific name proposed by Allan Octavian Hume in 1873 who described a female owlet that had been shot near Basna in 1872 by his collaborator Francis Robert Blewitt (born 1815). Hume noted that the head is smaller than in other Athene species and that the lower mandible was more strongly notched. He therefore placed it in a new genus Heteroglaux. [5] Results of a phylogenetic study published in 2018 indicate that it a member of the Athene clade. [6]

Description

The whitish underside and small size are distinctive Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti 02-10-2010 (18).jpg
The whitish underside and small size are distinctive

The forest owlet is small (23 cm) and stocky. It is a typical owlet with a rather unspotted crown and heavily banded wings and tail. They have a relatively large skull and beak. Unlike the spotted owlet, the forest owlet has the fewer and fainter spots on the crown and back. The upperparts are dark grey-brown. The upper breast is almost solid brown and the sides are barred with a white central wedge in the lower breast that is sometimes unmarked, especially in males. The primaries are darker and distinct. The wings and tail are banded with white trailing edges. A dark carpal patch on the underwing is visible in flight. The facial disc is pale and the eyes are yellow. [7]

Distribution and habitat

The forest owlet was recorded in central India, and until 1997 was known from just seven specimens in museums collected in northern Maharashtra, and south-east Madhya Pradesh or western Odisha. The last record until then was based on a specimen claimed from Gujarat in 1914 by Richard Meinertzhagen. Searches in Gujarat had been futile until the species was rediscovered in November 1997 by a group of American ornithologists in the foothills of the Satpura Range, northeast of Bombay. [3] [8] The cause of the earlier failed searches was due to the resubmission of a stolen specimen with the falsification of locality data. [9]

The forest owlet was observed in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, and at a few locations in Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. [10] [11] A survey in 2011 in non-protected areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh confirmed the presence of the species at two locations. In Maharashtra, a pair was observed (out of 7 pairs in 2004) in Toranmal Reserve Forest. In Madhya Pradesh, six individuals were observed in Khaknar. [12] In Maharashtra, it was also reported to inhabit the forest ranges of Taloda and Khaknaar. [13]

All these places in central India harbour dense to open deciduous forests with Tectona grandis , Lagerstroemia parvifolia, Boswellia serrata and Lannea grandis trees. Nest cavities were found at a height of 5.0–8.0 m (16.4–26.2 feet) in trees like Soymida febrifuga . In most areas, the trees were too young and lacking cavities suitable for nesting. [14] An individual was sighted in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary in the Thane district in 2014. [15] It was reported that human disturbed forests with more clearings within the forests were preferred for foraging. [16] In Toranmal Reserve Forest, the forest owlet utilized areas with open canopy and dense undergrowth. [17]

In Gujarat, the forest owlet occurs in Purna Wildlife Sanctuary. [18]

Behaviour and ecology

Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) camouflged in the dry foliage of a Teak tree..jpg

The forest owlet typically hunts from perches where it sits still and waits for prey. When perched, it flicks its tail from side to side rapidly and more excitedly when it chases prey. Lizards and skinks constitute nearly 60% of its prey, rodents 15%, birds 2% and the remainder invertebrates and frogs. When nesting, the male hunts and feeds the female at nest, and the female feeds the young. The nestlings fledge after 30–32 days. [19]

A study conducted in the forests of Madhya Pradesh revealed that the forest owlet is a generalist predator that consumes a variety of small mammals. [20]

The peak courtship season is in January and February during which time they are very responsive to call playback with a mixture of song and territorial calls. [14]

The forest owlet appears to be strongly diurnal, although not very active after 10 in the morning; it often hunts during daytime. [8] On cold winter mornings, it basks on top of tall trees. [19]

Filial cannibalism by males has been observed. [21]

Vocalization

They make several different calls, which include a hissing call of short duration. The song calls are short and mellow unlike those of most owls. They are usually disyllabic, "oh-owow" but sound monosyllabic and each note ascends and descends rapidly. The territorial calls have been transcribed as "kwaak … kk, kwaa..kk". A contact call of "kee yah, kee…yah" is given when the male brings food to the female at nest. The alarm call is a "chirrur… chirrur, chirr…chirr", while begging "kee…k, kee…k" calls are made when young or females seek food. [8]

Conservation

The forest owlet is listed in CITES Appendix I. In 2018, it was assessed as being Endangered, with a population estimate of about 250 mature individuals. It is threatened by loss and degradation of forests due to illegal logging, encroachment by humans, forest fires and construction of irrigation dams. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-necked stork</span> Species of bird

The black-necked stork is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetland habitats and near fields of certain crops such as rice and wheat where it forages for a wide range of animal prey. Adult birds of both sexes have a heavy bill and are patterned in white and irridescent blacks, but the sexes differ in the colour of the iris with females sporting yellow irises and males having dark-coloured irises. In Australia, it is known as a jabiru although that name refers to a stork species found in the Americas. It is one of the few storks that are strongly territorial when feeding and breeding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black eagle</span> Species of bird

The black eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeastern China. They hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests. They are easily identified by their widely splayed and long primary "fingers", the characteristic silhouette, slow flight and yellow ceres and legs that contrast with their dark feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted owlet</span> Species of owl

The spotted owlet is a small owl which breeds in tropical Asia from mainland India to Southeast Asia. A common resident of open habitats including farmland and human habitation, it has adapted to living in cities. They roost in small groups in the hollows of trees or in cavities in rocks and buildings. It nests in a hole in a tree or building, laying 3–5 eggs. The species shows great variation including clinal variation in size and forms a superspecies with the very similar little owl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narmada River</span> River of central India in a rift valley

The Narmada River, previously also known as Narbada or anglicised as Nerbudda, is the 5th longest river in India and overall the longest west-flowing river in the country. It is also the largest flowing river in the state of Madhya Pradesh. This river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in India. It is also known as the "Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat" due to its huge contribution to the two states in many ways. The Narmada River rises from the Amarkantak Plateau in Anuppur district in Madhya Pradesh. It forms the traditional boundary between North and South India and flows westwards for 1,312 km (815.2 mi) before draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea, 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Bharuch city of Gujarat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed bulbul</span> Species of bird

The white-browed bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in Sri Lanka and peninsular India. Largely olive coloured above with whitish underparts, it has a pale supercilium and a yellow vent. They are found in dense scrub habitats, where they skulk within vegetation and can be difficult to see although their loud and distinct burst of calls is distinctive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerdon's courser</span> Species of bird

Jerdon's courser is a nocturnal bird belonging to the pratincole and courser family Glareolidae endemic to India. The bird was discovered by the surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon in 1848 but not seen again until its rediscovery in 1986. This courser is a restricted-range endemic found locally in India in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. It is currently known only from the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, where it inhabits sparse scrub forest with patches of bare ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satpura Range</span> Hill range in central India

The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these two east–west ranges divide Indian Subcontinent into the Indo-Gangetic plain of northern India and the Deccan Plateau of the south. The Narmada River originates from north-eastern end of Satpura in Amarkantak, and runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, draining the northern slope of the Satpura range, running west towards the Arabian Sea. The Tapti River originates in the eastern-central part of Satpura, crossing the range in the center and running west at the range's southern slopes before meeting the Arabian Sea at Surat, draining the central and southern slopes of the range. Multai, the place of Tapi river origin is located about 465 kilometer far, south-westerly to Amarkantak, separated across by the hill range. The Godavari River and its tributaries drain the Deccan plateau, which lies south of the range, and the Mahanadi River drains the easternmost portion of the range. The Godavari and Mahanadi rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. At its eastern end, the Satpura range meets the hills of the Chotanagpur Plateau. The Satpura Range is a horst mountain and is flanked by Narmada Graben in the north and much smaller but parallel Tapi Graben in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela C. Rasmussen</span> American ornithologist

Pamela Cecile Rasmussen is an American ornithologist and expert on Asian birds. She was formerly a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and is based at the Michigan State University. She is associated with other major centers of research in the United States and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhil</span> Adivashi group in india

Bhil or Bheel is an ethnic group in western India. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages. Bhils are members of a tribal group outside the fold of Hinduism and the caste system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The white-bellied woodpecker or great black woodpecker is a woodpecker species inhabiting evergreen forests in tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is among the largest of the Asiatic woodpeckers and nests in large dead trees, often beside rivers. It has 14 subspecies, and many of its island forms are endangered, some are extinct. Populations differ in the distribution and extent of white. Its drums and calls are louder than those of the smaller woodpeckers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Indian bustard</span> Species of bird

The great Indian bustard or Indian bustard, is a bustard occurring on the Indian subcontinent. A large bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs, giving it an ostrich like appearance, this bird is among the heaviest of the flying birds. Once common on the dry plains of India, as few as 150 individuals were estimated to survive in 2018 and the species is critically endangered by hunting and loss of its habitat, which consists of large expanses of dry grassland and scrub. These birds are often found associated in the same habitat as blackbuck. It is protected under the Wild life Protection Act, 1972 of the Parliament of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-naped tit</span> Species of bird

The white-naped tit, sometimes called white-winged tit, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is endemic to India where it is found in dry thorn scrub forest in two disjunct populations, in western India and southern India. Its specific name nuchalis means ‘of the nuchal, nape’.

Nandurbar is a city and a municipal council in Nandurbar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Nandurbar municipal corporation is the first municipal corporation. The District Nandurbar was formed from the district Dhule on July 1, 1998. Nandurbar is an administrative district in the northwest corner of of Maharashtra. On 1 July 1998 Dhule was bifurcated as two separate districts now known as Dhule and Nandurbar. The district headquarters is located at Nandurbar city. The district occupies an area of 5034 km2 and has a population of 1,311,709 of which 15.45% is urban. Nandurbar district is bounded to the south and south-east by Dhule district, to the west and north is the state of Gujarat, to the north and north-east is the state of Madhya Pradesh. The northern boundary of the district is defined by the great Narmada river. It came into limelight during February 2006 bird flu crisis which struck many of its poultry farms. Thousand of chickens from the farms had to be killed and buried in nearby grounds to stop the virus spreading.

The Central Highlands of India are a biogeographic region in India formed by the disjunct ranges of the Satpura and Vindhya Hills. It is given the term 6A within the Deccan zone in the Rodgers and Panwar (1988) classification. The zone adjoins 6D, the Central Plateau and 4B, the Gujarat Rajputana and extends across the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The total area is approximately 250,000 km2 and there are 27 Protected Areas covering 4.9% of the area. There are also six Project Tiger Reserves in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied heron</span> Species of bird

The white-bellied heron also known as the imperial heron or great white-bellied heron, is a large heron species living in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in northeast India and Bhutan to northern Myanmar. It inhabits undisturbed rivers and wetlands. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2007, because the global population is estimated at less than 300 mature individuals and threatened by habitat loss and human disturbance. It is mostly dark grey with a white throat and underparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed owl</span> Species of owl

The white-browed owl, also known as the white-browed hawk-owl or the Madagascar hawk-owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.

A Village Accountant or Karanam, Patwari, Patowary (Assam), Talati, Lekhpal is a government role in rural areas of the Indian subcontinent. Introduced during the early 16th century, it was maintained by the British Raj. The official, as a representative of the state, is responsible for keeping land records, agricultural records and collecting taxes and acting as the revenue police in certain areas where they were given special jurisdiction.

The Vasava are a clan of the Bhil community found in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan in India. They have scheduled tribe status. In Rajasthan, they are also known as Vasave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf of Khambhat</span> Shallow gulf near Gujarat, India

The Gulf of Khambhat, also known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat just north of Mumbai and Diu Island. The Gulf of Khambhat is about 200 km (120 mi) long, about 20 km (12 mi) wide in the north and up to 70 km (43 mi) wide in the south. Major rivers draining Gujarat are the Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and the Sabarmati, that form estuaries in the gulf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purna Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, India

Purna Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in the Western Ghats mountain range, in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra, India. In the South Gujarat, it is located between Vyara, Tapi District and Ahwa, Dang District, and in Maharashtra, it is located in Nandurbar District. Apart from the Dangs' District, it is a part of the Northern Division of the Dangs' Forest.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 BirdLife International (2018). "Athene blewitti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22689335A132251554. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22689335A132251554.en . Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  2. Ripley, S. D. (1976). "Reconsideration of Athene blewitti (Hume)". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 73: 1–4.
  3. 1 2 Rasmussen, C. P. & King B. F. (1998). "The rediscovery of the Forest Owlet Athene (Heteroglaux) blewitti" (PDF). Forktail. 14: 53–55. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-11.
  4. Rasmussen, P. C. & Collar, N. J. (1999). "Major specimen fraud in the Forest Owlet Heteroglaux (Athene auct.) blewitti". Ibis. 141 (1): 11–21. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1999.tb04258.x.
  5. Hume, A. O. (1873). "Novelties". Stray Feathers. 1: 464–483.
  6. Koparde, P.; Mehta, P.; Reddy, S.; Ramakrishnan, U.; Mukherjee, S.; Robin, V. V. (2018). "The critically endangered forest owlet Heteroglaux blewitti is nested within the currently recognized Athene clade: A century-old debate addressed". PLOS ONE. 13 (2): e0192359. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1392359K. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192359 . PMC   5798823 . PMID   29401484.
  7. Rasmussen, P. C.; Collar, N. J. (1998). "Identification, distribution and status of the Forest Owlet Athene (Heteroglaux) blewitti" (PDF). Forktail. 14: 43–51. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-04.
  8. 1 2 3 Rasmussen, P. C. & Ishtiaq, F. (1999). "Vocalizations and Behaviour of Forest Spotted Owlet Athene blewitti" (PDF). Forktail. 15: 61–66. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-16.
  9. Rasmussen, P. C. & Collar, N. J. (1999). "Major specimen fraud in the Forest Owlet Heteroglaux (Athene auct.) blewitti". Ibis. 141: 11–21. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1999.tb04258.x.
  10. Mehta, P.; Kulkarni, J. & Patil, D. (2008). "A survey of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti in Central India". BirdingASIA. 10: 77–87.
  11. Prachi, M.; Kulkarni, J.; Patil, D.; Kolte, P. & Hatavkar, P. (2007). A Survey of Critically Endangered Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) in Central India. Final Report. Pune: Envirosearch.
  12. Jathar, G. A.; Patil, D. N. (2011). Reassessment of the status of Forest Owlet in its known distribution and evaluation of conservation issues. Final Report by Foundation for Ecological Conservation and Sustainable Development, India. Pune: Watershed Organization Trust. ISBN   978-81-86748-28-2.
  13. Mehta, P.; Prasanna, N. S.; Nagar, A. K.; Kulkarni, J. (2015). "Occurrence of Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti in Betul district, and the importance of its conservation in the Satpura landscape" (PDF). Indian Birds. 10 (6): 157–159.
  14. 1 2 Ishtiaq, F. & Rahmani, A. R. (2000). "Further information on the status and distribution of the Forest Owlet Athene blewitti in India" (PDF). Forktail. 16: 125–130. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-04.
  15. Laad, S. & Dagale, R. (2014). "First report of forest owlet Heteroglaux blewitti from Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary (Western Ghats), Maharashtra, India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 111 (2): 134. doi: 10.17087/jbnhs/2014/v111i2/72238 .
  16. Reuven, Y.; Pande, S. A.; Pawashe, A. P.; Kasambe, R. & Mitchell, L. (2010). "Interspecific interactions of the critically endangered Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti)". Acta Ethologica. 13 (1): 63–67. doi:10.1007/s10211-010-0070-9. S2CID   2888973.
  17. Jathar, G. A. & Rahmani, A. R. (2012). "Habitat utilization by Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti in Toranmal Reserve Forest, India". Care4Nature. 1 (1): 18–30.
  18. Bird list at ebird.org
  19. 1 2 Ishtiaq, F.; Rahmani, A. R. & Rasmussen, P. (2002). "Ecology and behaviour of the Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti)". In Newton, I.; Kavanagh, R.; Olsen, J. & Taylor, I. (eds.). Ecology and conservation of owls. Clayton, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 80–88. ISBN   978-0-643-06794-3.
  20. Mehta, P.; Kulkarni, J.; Talmale, S. & Chandarana, R. (2018). "Diets of Sympatric Forest Owlets, Spotted Owlets, and Jungle Owlets in East Kalibhit Forests, Madhya Pradesh, India". Journal of Raptor Research. 52 (3): 338–348. doi:10.3356/JRR-17-00002.1. S2CID   91253803.
  21. Ishtiaq, F.; Rahmani A. R. (2000). "Cronism in the Forest Owlet Athene (Heteroglaux) blewitti" (PDF). Forktail. 16: 172–174. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-28.

Further reading