Brown boobook

The brown boobook (Ninox scutulata), also called the brown hawk-owl, is a medium-sized owl widely found across South and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka. It belongs to the typical owl family (Strigidae) and was first described in 1822. This species has a hawk-like appearance with a long tail, dark brown upperparts, and whitish underparts marked with reddish-brown streaks. Its large yellow eyes and lack of a distinct facial disc make it easy to recognise. The owl is highly nocturnal, often detected by its soft, repetitive “oo-uk” call at dusk and dawn, and by the behaviour of small birds mobbing it during the day. It is commonly seen even in urban and suburban areas such as Colombo.

The brown boobook prefers well-wooded habitats, forests, and tree-rich environments where it roosts and nests in tree cavities, laying three to five eggs. It feeds mainly on large insects, but also takes frogs, lizards, small birds, and rodents. Several subspecies are recognised across its wide range, including the form found in Sri Lanka and southern India. Although mostly a resident species, there have been rare records far outside its normal range, such as sightings in Alaska.