Photo Feature
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl
<p><strong>Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl:</strong> <strong><em>Foodspotting!</em></strong></p>
<p>The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl <em>Bubo nipalensis</em> seems to have a penchant for sporting long ringed tails. A formidable hunter, it is seen here hunting a civet and a giant squirrel in the Thithimathi forest, Karnataka, and the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Kerala, respectively. Its usual menu comprises lizards, snakes, and fish and occasionally, larger prey such as a jackal, hare or a barking deer fawn! Persecuted by humans practising black magic rituals, this handsome hunter can easily be identified by its large ear tufts and pronounced belly markings.</p>