Bay Owl (Phodilus badius)
Order: STRIGIFORMES
Family: TYTONIDAE
Scientific name: Phodilus badius
English name: Bay Owl
Characteristic: Size 29 cm. A plump-looking brown owl, with brown upperpart and pinkish brown underpart. Both sides are heavily spotted with dark brown and pale pattern that scattering widely over the surfaces. Its heart-shaped facial disc is more pinkish, with a pair of large brown eyes. A pair of its ear-like tufted feathers stand erect above its eyes. Legs and feet are thickly covered with feathers, and the latter forming sharp talons.
Distribution: India, China, the Sundas, the Philippines, Myanmer, Malaysia, Thailand, Indo-China, Tonkin and Laos.
Habitat: Dry evergreen forest, dipterocarp forest and secondary growth.
Habit: Usually living a solitary life and being a nocturnal hunter. In the daytime it roosts in a hollow tree or in a thick foliage. Hunting is done above open ground, grassfield, where its preferred diet such as sleeping birds, rodents, small reptiles and night-active insects can be found. Nesting in a tree hollow and a clutch of 3-4 white eggs will be laid.
Status: A very scarce resident.
