Rock Eagle-Owl

About the Rock Eagle-Owl

The Indian eagle-owl (Bubo bengalensis), or the Bengal eagle-owl or rock eagle-owl, is a large horned owl species native to hilly and rocky scrub forests in the Indian subcontinent. It is splashed with brown and grey, and has a white throat patch with black small stripes. It was earlier treated as a subspecies of the Eurasian eagle-owl. It is usually seen in pairs. It has a deep resonant booming call that may be heard at dawn and dusk.

Bubo bengalensis was the scientific name used by James Franklin in 1831 for an eagle-owl, that was collected in northern India. This species is often considered a subspecies of the Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo and is very similar in appearance. The facial disk is unmarked and has a black border, a feature that is much weaker in the Eurasian form. The base of the primaries is unbanded and rufous. The tail bands have the tawny bands wider than the black ones. Additionally, a large pale scapular patch is visible on the folded wing. The inner claws are the longest. The last joint of the toes are unfeathered.

The taxonomy of the group is complex due to a large amount of variation. Dementiev was the first to consider the possibility... Wikipedia →