Photo: Saswat Mishra / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Forest Owlet
Athene blewitti
Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) — Owls of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 241 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Athene
- Species blewitti
Quick facts
- Weight
- 241 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Forest Owlet preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Forest Owlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR c India.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 241 g, with a wing length of about 14.6 cm and a tail of around 6.8 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5,436 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Forest Owlet?
The Forest Owlet is a large bird that weighs around 241 g.
Where does the Forest Owlet live?
The Forest Owlet is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR c India, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Forest Owlet belong to?
The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Forest Owlet eat?
The Forest Owlet preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Forest Owlet migrate?
The Forest Owlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Forest Owlet endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Forest Owlet make?
1 real field recording of the Forest Owlet — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Forest Owlet's range?
The Forest Owlet has a mapped global range of about 5,436 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.