Hume’s Hawk Owl    Ninox scutulata obscura

Etymology:

• Ninox : Derived from  genus   Greek king Nisus was turned into a Sparrowhawk after his daughter Scylla cut off his purple hair locks to present them to her lover Minos who was also Nisu’sSworn enemy.
• Scutulata : Latin word for Diamond shape
• Obscura : Latin word for Dark

Distribution in India: Resident of Andaman Island in India.

Description: Size of 26–30 cm. It is a medium-sized boo book. It is dark chocolate-brown on most of plumage, with a slightly paler, rufous-brown belly, prominent white bands on vent, whitish spot between the eyes and thin white tip on rectrices. The irides and feet are bright yellow; cere is dull greenish.

Habitat: It is found in lowland forest, forest edge, borders of rubber plantations and areas near human settlements, often near water

Food habits: It eats insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and prey on Glossy Swiftlets and Edible-nest Swiftlets in the Swiftlets’ nesting caves. It is crepuscular and nocturnal

Breeding habits: They breed in Mar–Jun or Jul in India. They nest in tree hollow above ground. They lay a clutch of 2 eggs. The incubation period is 25 days. The nestling period is 24–28 days.