03/21/2023
A wonderful surprise on a recent trip to India was this Brown Fishing owl.
These brown fish owl species are distributed in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. These owl species are possibly extinct in Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. There are four recognized subspecies of brown fish owl.
The natural ecosystems of these species includes tropical and subtropical dry forests, Deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, open evergreen forests, freshwater marshes, well-vegetated ravines, rivers, steep river banks, streamside forests and creeks.
Diet and feeding behavior
The diet of these brown fish owl species is mostly fish. A variety of prey animals like frogs, crabs, shrimp, snakes and lizards are their primary food. These owls are nocturnal but have been observed to hunt during daytime, especially in cloudy weather.
The brown fish owl positions itself on a rock overhang or hanging perch over water and on spotting a prey glides over the water and grabs the food by quickly extending its long legs. Sometimes, they wade in the water to catch a prey. They have been observed to feed on carrion. (from birds of India/Bird World)
