Asian Barred Owlet

The Asian barred owlet, or cuckoo owlet, is a small owl 22 to 25cm long, one of the larger pygmy owls. It is dark brown or olive-brown with a white throat patch and is densely barred, with a whitish breast and belly barred dark brown. Juveniles have a streaked rather than barred breast. Males weigh 150 to 176g and females up to 240g (Wikipedia, general species account).

It lives in forests and shrublands from mainland Southeast Asia to the Himalayan foothills, including Bhutan, and is mainly diurnal, hunting from bare branches. The male song is a trill lasting 5 to 20 seconds that grows louder and harsher before stopping abruptly, and it also gives a smooth 'hoot'. It mainly eats insects, but also lizards, small rodents and birds. A pair lays a single clutch of three to five white, rounded eggs.