Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides)

When you see birds of different species  making  noise together  on a tree you have a chance to see the Asian Barred Owlet  behind the thicket of branches.It is otherwise very difficult to spot this owlet due to its camouflaging appearance and  its ability to turn around its head in all directions from one place.  It is resident of the Northern parts of the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia.

About 23 cms in size it resembles  Jungle Owlet which  is differentiated from it by contrasting rusty colour of  barring on the primaries and secondaries and more closely spaced barring on  upper parts. The barring  on the belly of Asian Barred owlet is usually more broken as compared to Jungle Owlet whose belly is covered with barring pattern.
The owls in general are nocturnal.They have a strong sense of hearing and an ability to fly silently which helps them in tracking their prey by focussing on the sounds emerging in the surroundings.