Animalia Life

Phodilus badius
SUBFAMILY
Phodilinae
TAXONOMY
Strix badia Horsfield, 1821, Java. Six subspecies recognized. Formerly regarded as closely related to Itombwe owl or Congo bay owl (P. prigoginei), but the latter species more resembles Tyto and as of 1999 has been placed in that genus.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Bay owl, Asian bay owl; French: Phodile calong; German: Maskeneule; Spanish: Lechuza Cornuda.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
9–13 in (23–33 cm), 0.6–0.7 lb (255–308 g). Small chestnut owl with facial disc like barn owl, though squarer, divided down forehead and interrupted at throat, and peaked at corners (like small “ear” tufts). Barred and spotted dorsally, paler and spotted ventrally. Female and juvenile similar.
DISTRIBUTION
One subspecies in southwestern India; one subspecies in Sri Lanka; one subspecies from northeastern India through Indochina to southeastern China; and three subspecies in Malaysia and Indonesia. Subspecies uncertain for single record in Philippines.
HABITAT
Forest, and groves and plantations in farmland near forest.
BEHAVIOR
Nocturnal and elusive, solitary. Roosts in tree hollows and dense foliage. Calls with a variety of mainly whistling and screeching notes.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Preys on small vertebrates and insects, detected by watching and listening from perches.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Presumed monogamous. Lays in spring at higher latitudes, autumn-winter dry season in tropics. Nests in tree hollows, in crowns of palms, or occasionally in nest boxes. Clutch 3–5 eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Considered uncommon to rare, but probably under-recorded. Listed on Appendix II of CITES.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Owls are regarded as evil spirits by some tribal peoples in Southeast Asia.

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