Indian Scops-Owl

The Indian scops-owl is a small owl, 23 to 25 cm, though one of the largest scops owls, with small ear tufts. The upperparts are grey or brown depending on the morph, with faint buff spotting, and the underparts are buff with fine dark streaking. The facial disc is whitish or buff and there is a buff neckband. It occurs from eastern Arabia through the Indian subcontinent except the far north (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is nocturnal and very hard to see by day, though small birds that mob it may give away its roost. It feeds mainly on insects, calls with a soft single note and nests in tree cavities, laying 3 to 5 eggs. Its species name comes from a Sinhalese word, bakamuna.