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Source: The post is based on the article “Spot-bellied eagle owl spotted in A.P.’s Seshachalam forest for the first time” published in The Hindu on 19th January 2023.
What is the News?
A wildlife team has stumbled upon a Spot-bellied Eagle Owl (Bubo Nipalensis) for the first time in the Seshachalam forest and for the third time in Andhra Pradesh.
What is a Spot-bellied Eagle Owl?
The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance.
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Geographical distribution: It is a forest-inhabiting species found across the Indian Subcontinent.
Characteristics: The bird is found on large trees in thick forests. It feeds on small rodents and lizards.
Significance: The bird makes a strange scream similar to humans and it is hence called the ‘ghost of the forest’ in India and ‘devil bird’ in Sri Lanka.
