Wildlifeof Vietnam
Collared Owlet
Owls
Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Glaucidium brodiei
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Habitat
Submontane and montane forest with open spaces; nests in tree hollows and old woodpecker or barbet holes
Range
Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia
Clutch size
3–5 round white eggs
Size
15–17cm
Weight
About 52g in males; about 63g in females
The collared owlet, or collared pygmy owl, is the smallest owl in Asia, 15 to 17cm long and weighing about 60g, with females slightly larger than males. It is grey-brown with a barred back and flanks, a spotted head, prominent white eyebrows, lemon-yellow eyes and a white throat patch. The pale collar and two black spots on each side of the nape imitate eye spots, so the owl seems to stare from behind (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives in submontane and montane forest with open spaces across Asia, including Bhutan, and is mainly diurnal, perching, hunting and calling for most of the day and sometimes at night. Its call starts mellow and becomes shriller with excitement, while the head turns in all directions, making it hard to locate. It does not make its own nest but uses tree hollows or old woodpecker and barbet holes, laying three to five round white eggs.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Collared Owlet live in?
- Submontane and montane forest with open spaces; nests in tree hollows and old woodpecker or barbet holes
- Where is the Collared Owlet found?
- Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia
- How many eggs does the Collared Owlet lay?
- 3–5 round white eggs
- How big is the Collared Owlet?
- 15–17cm
- How much does the Collared Owlet weigh?
- About 52g in males; about 63g in females