The Indian eagle-owls do not need a dependency on forests; they nest close to agricultural lands and scrublands
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Indian eagle-owl was labeled as a species solely in recent times, thus distinguishing it from the Eurasian eagle-owl. The Indian species is an imposing chicken. The barely bigger feminine can attain a complete size of two and a half ft, with a wingspan of six ft. Prominent ear tufts that appear to be horns are seen to undertaking from its head. One idea holds that these have developed to impart a threatening look that retains away predators. If so, the horns are certainly profitable at imparting an aura of menace.
Its nocturnal habits have meant that little or no is thought about this chicken. The widespread vary — your entire Indian peninsula — would appear to point that it’s a steady inhabitants. But no person is aware of for positive, as it isn’t a quite common chicken. Their whole numbers have by no means been estimated. Many chicken species face decline at the moment as the full forested space in our nation has suffered a decline. But the Indian eagle-owl doesn’t have a dependency on forests. The common gadgets on their menu, resembling rats, bandicoots, and even bats and doves are greatest hunted over open scrubland and agricultural tracts. Nearby rocky perches and crags present superb settings for its nests.
Myths, superstitions
Near human settlements, they like mango timber. In rural India, many superstitions encompass this chicken and its loud double-hoot calls. They are thought of bearers of sick omens. The famous ornithologist Salim Ali documented folklore wherein an eagle-owl, when trapped and starved, would communicate in a human voice and portend the way forward for its listeners.
This is consistent with myths in lots of cultures, starting from the Greeks to the Aztecs, of the presaging powers of owls basically. In some they foretold victories in battles, in others they warned of approaching risks. But then we additionally determine them with knowledge. The Goddess Lakshmi’s Uluka is an emblem of information and prosperity.
The destructive superstitions related to the Indian eagle-owl make us replicate on its ferocious defensive ways in nesting areas. The nest, with as much as 4 eggs, is commonly not more than a scratched out hole, simply approached by a mongoose or a human. These owls present heckling behaviour, and can swoop down on the intruding individual, hanging the top from behind with its talons.
Benefits to agriculture
Farmers positively revenue from the presence of this owl. Research performed by the Ela Foundation and the Zoological Survey of India has proven that Indian eagle-owls nesting close to agricultural lands had extra, and more healthy, owlets than scrubland nesters. The former benefited from the considerable populations of rodents close to farms.
What lies forward for these owls? India has seen rising curiosity in our birds. Birding, because the interest is named, attracts an increasing number of enthusiastic volunteers, who add information to chicken counts, surveys and migration maps. But these are principally daytime actions wherein owls are all the time under-represented. It is hoped that nocturnal birds such because the Indian eagle-owl can have their day too.
(The article was written in collaboration with Sushil Chandani, who works in molecular modelling. )
