Dusky Eagle Owl    Bubo coromandus

Etymology:

• Bubo : Latin word for Eurasian Eagle owl
• Coromandus : From Coromendal coast in India

 Vernacular Names:Sind: Gug, U.P.: Junglighugghu, DhuniyaGhuggu, Pun: Saletiulloo, Guj:Radiyo/Rakhedighuvad, Mar: DhurkatGarud-Ghubad, KalsarHumaGhubad

Distribution in India:  Wide spread resident north of central India

Description: Size of 48–53 cm. It is a large, greyish owl with prominent ear tufts rounded at tips. It has a pale facial disc framed by narrow black lines. It has dark brown with greyish tinge on upperparts, obscurely marked with long, narrow, widely spaced streaks of dark brown and buffy-white spots on wing-coverts. The tail is dark brown, barred, paler at tip. Below it is very pale buffish-grey with narrow black streaks; tarsus are fully feathered; irides is bright yellow; cere and bill are leaden-blue, tip is pale yellowish-horn and toes plumbeous-grey. Juvenile is mostly rufous, with greyer head.

Habitat:It is found in open, level areas with plenty of woodland, generally near water; riparian forest, old plantations. It is found from lowlands to 250 m elevation.

Food habits: It eats birds like crows, pigeons and doves, parakeets, coucals , hawks, and waterbirds , small to medium-sized mammals like rats, hares and squirrels, and porcupine , reptiles, amphibians ,fish , water beetles and bird’s eggs. It is semi-diurnal; quite often active during daylight, especially in dull weather. It hunts from perch, in searching flight, and on ground, and wades in shallow water; catches birds as they fly in to roosts. It decapitates large prey before taking to feeding perch or nest.

Breeding habits: They breed in Nov–Apr in India. They use old stick nest of raptor, commonly kite, vulture or eagle, high up in tree fork. They lay a clutch size usually 1–3 eggs. The incubation is done by both sexes.