Description: The face has white eyebrows that extend to the rear of the eyes and a white moustachial streak. Eyes are lemon-yellow. The cere is greenish-horn and the bill yellowish-green. The head and nape are finely spotted pale buff, while the mantle is plain or only weakly barred. The upperside, sides of the head and neck and wing-coverts are dull brown or olive-brown, or faintly tinged rufous, closely barred fulvous-white or dull rufous-white. There is a distinct white patch on the throat, while the breast is barred dark brown and dull fulvous-white. The upper breast has paler brown and pure white bars, the lower part being more streaked than barred. The tail is blackish with about six whitish or pure white, widely spaced bars.
Underparts have more indistinct markings. Tarsi are feathered and the toes are bare, sparsely bristled and coloured greyish olive-yellow with chrome-yellow soles. Claws are horn-brown.
Size: Length 22-25cm. Wing length 131-168mm. Tail length 75-114mm. Weight 150-240g. Females are usually larger and heavier than males.
Habits: The Asian Barred Owlet is generally a diurnal bird, often found perched on bare branches or dead tree stumps in the full sunlight, or hunting during the day. While it may be vocal at any time of the day, it is most vocally active at dawn and for a couple of hours after sunrise. Flight is undulating; a series of rapid flaps followed by a pause with the wings closed.
Vanachar is dedicated to the cause of the endangered species has tied up with Nainital Zoo, Uttarakhand and is sponsoring conservation of Barrad Owlet program. Vanachar is eager to provide support to the initiates taken for the betterment of endangered species in India.