Brown Hawk Owl

Baan Maka, Thailand

The brown hawk owl is a raptor and resident breeder in southern Asia including India, Sri Lanka and Nepal and as far as western Indonesa and south China.

Habitat

A forest (arboreal) species, the brown hawk owl are often found close to water such as forest streams and also close to human habitation. However, In southeast Asia, they prefer lowland rainforest far from human habitation.  They roost in leafy, well camouflaged locations where they can be very difficult to spot (as in the photograph above).

Feeding

The brown hawk owl  eats large insects, lizards, frogs, mice and small birds and occasionally bats or crabs.  They are "crepuscular" and "nocturnal" (hunt at dusk and at night.) 

Breeding

They nest in large tree holes or hollow trunks, often using the same location several years in succession. They also recorded nesting on the ground in rockeries and woodpiles.  Three to five white egg are laid amongst natural debris at the bottom of the hole. They are incubated by the female with the male bringing her food. Both parents feed the chicks.

Wildfile Specials

• Brown hawk owls sometimes jump up from their perch to take passing insects in their claws, and will also hawk flying insects  like a nightjar.
• During the day roosting brown hawk owls can often be located when they are mobbed by small birds..
• The brown hawk owl is part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls or Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other group is the barn owls, Tytonidae.

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