Top 10 Most Common Species of Owls in India

There are 30 plus species of owls found in India, The most common species of owls of India are spotted owlets, white color barn owl, Indian rock owl – Biggest owl in India and some species of fish owls.
Here is the list of top 10 most common species of owlets and owls of India around the cities and village during the Dusk & Dawn.

Indian Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis)

Bengal eagle owl is the largest owl species found in India, native to rocky, hilly scrub forests in the Indian Subcontinent.
This species is also considered a subspecies of the Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo, found in the Ladakh.

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

The short-eared owl also known as the eared owls, are found in open country and grasslands of little Rann of Kutch and around the desert land of Kutch.

Mottled Wood Owl (Strix ocellata)

Mottled wood owl a species of large owl found in India, mostly found in jungle, gardens and thin deciduous forests adjacent area. This large owl choose to shelter within a dense grove of trees in the forest.

Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)

Brown Fish Owl is a common species of fish owl found in Indian forest, wooded wetlands and also one of the four living species of fish owl.

Tawny Fish Owl (Ketupa flavipes)

The tawny fish owl is another species of fish owls of India, lives in subtropical forest of India from Himalayan foothills to Kashmir and Garhwal, range overlapped with Brown fish owl.

Indian Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena)

Indian scops owl is small owl but one of the largest of the scops owls species in India.
The scops owl is nocturnal and difficult to spot in its natural camouflage on the tree holes.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

The common barn owl is found almost everywhere in the Indian Subcontinent, Most commonly seen spcies of owl in India along with spotted owlets.
White barn owl is nocturnal and distinguish from the other species of owls due to its face and color.

Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)

Spotted owlet is a small species of owls found in India and a very common resident of habitats including farmland and human habitation and also found living in cities like Barn Owl.

Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum)

Jungle Owlet is a another small owl native to the Indian Subcontinent and only found in the forest.
This small owlet mainly active at dawn and dusk but one can spot in Jungle Safari in Central India.

Brown Boobook (Ninox scutulata)

Brown Hawk Owl is known as Brown boobook, A hawk like owl not so common but at Night time one can spot around the wetlands. Brown boobook species is a part of the largest group of owls known as typical owls of the world.