Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum)
Jungle Owlet

Jungle Owlet

Glaucidium radiatum

The Jungle Owlet, or Glaucidium radiatum, is a diminutive and elusive bird of prey, cloaked in a fine barring across its plumage. It lacks a distinct facial disk, a characteristic feature of many owls, and its wings are a muted brown with a tail that is narrowly barred in white. The bird's upper parts are a dark black-brown, intricately barred with white, while the lower side is a lighter whitish or pale rufous, also barred with black. A whitish patch adorns the chin, upper breast, and center of the abdomen. The eyes are a striking yellow, and the bill and tarsi are a greenish hue, tipped with black claws.

Identification Tips

To identify the Jungle Owlet, look for its rounded head and the absence of a clear facial disk. The plumage is finely barred, and the bird has distinctive white and rufous patches on the wing coverts. The primaries and secondaries are dark brown, barred with pale chestnut. The yellow iris, greenish bill, and tarsi, along with black claws, are also key identification features.

Habitat

The Jungle Owlet thrives in a variety of wooded habitats, from scrub forests to deciduous and moist deciduous forests. It is an adaptable bird that can be found in regions south of the Himalayas and in some Himalayan areas up to an elevation of 2,000 meters.

Distribution

This species is native to the Indian Subcontinent, with its range extending from Dalhousie in the west to Bhutan in the east. It is also found in the plains of India and Sri Lanka.

Behaviour

The Jungle Owlet is primarily crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk, but it is not uncommon to hear its calls or see it flying during the day. When roosting, it may become the target of mobbing by other birds such as drongos and sunbirds. If disturbed, it can remain motionless, blending in with its surroundings like a dead tree stump. It is also known to bask in the morning sun before retreating to its roost.

Song & Calls

The call of the Jungle Owlet is a rapid and distinctive series of "prao" sounds that crescendo and then diminish in volume before ending abruptly. During the day, young nestlings may emit tick calls similar to those of a pale-billed flowerpecker.

Breeding

The breeding season for the Jungle Owlet in India is from March to May. They nest in tree hollows at heights of 3 to 5 meters. The typical clutch size is four eggs, though the subspecies G. r. malabaricum may lay only three.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Jungle Owlet includes insects, small birds, reptiles, and rodents. They are adept hunters, capturing prey like small Phylloscopus warblers even during the day, though they primarily forage in the hour before sunrise and after sunset.

Conservation status

The Jungle Owlet is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that it currently faces no significant threats to its survival on a global scale.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Jungle Owlets on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Owls

A photo of a Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.