Dusky eagle-owl facts for kids
The dusky eagle-owl (Ketupa coromanda) is a large owl found across South and Southeast Asia. This owl gets its name from the Coromandel Coast in India, where it was first discovered. It is currently listed as a species of Least Concern, meaning it is not at high risk of extinction.
Quick facts for kids Dusky eagle-owl |
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| Dusky eagle-owl in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India. | |
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| Genus: |
Ketupa
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| Species: |
coromanda
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Contents
What is Taxonomy?
Taxonomy is how scientists name and group different living things. The dusky eagle-owl was first described by a scientist named John Latham in 1790. He called it Strix coromanda.
Different Types of Dusky Eagle-Owls
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the dusky eagle-owl:
- The first type is found in South Asia.
- The second type, called Ketupa coromanda klossii, lives in Southeast Asia. This subspecies was described in 1911. It is known to be much darker than the South Asian type.
What Does it Look Like?
The dusky eagle-owl is a big owl. It has a greyish-brown body and cool, noticeable "ear tufts" on its head. These are feathers that look like ears.
Its belly and chest are greyish-white with dark brown stripes. Its dark brown wings have some whitish stripes. The K. c. klossii subspecies is darker overall. It does not have the clear whitish markings on its wings. The wings of these owls are usually between 38 and 43.5 centimeters long. Their tails are about 18.7 to 22.4 centimeters long.
Where Do They Live?
Dusky eagle-owls are found in many countries. These include Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and China.
Their Favorite Places to Live
These owls like to live in different kinds of places. They can be found in forests and wetlands. They also live in farm areas that have scattered groups of trees. Sometimes, you can even spot them along roadsides where there are old, large trees. In Malaysia, they have even been seen in oil palm plantations.
How Do They Behave?
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Dusky eagle-owls are mostly active at night. This means they are nocturnal. However, they are not afraid of daylight. They often start hunting just before the sun sets. They have even been seen hunting during the day, especially when the weather is cloudy.
Nesting and Raising Young
The nesting season for dusky eagle-owls is from November to April. Most of their breeding happens in December and January. These owls often use nests built by other large birds. They prefer nests found in trees like Ficus and Dalbergia.
In some areas, like Haryana in India, these owls often reuse nests made by woolly-necked storks. They seem to prefer stork nests that are in certain types of trees, like Eucalyptus. This suggests that the owls look for places where storks are already nesting.
Scientists are still learning a lot about dusky eagle-owls. Most of what we know comes from people observing them in nature. This shows how important it is to protect their habitats. Especially areas where farming and forests mix. This helps these amazing owls continue to thrive.
