Photo: Renjith Jacob Mathews / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sri Lanka Bay Owl
Phodilus assimilis
Sri Lanka Bay Owl (Phodilus assimilis) — 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 Sri Lanka Bay Owl (Phodilus assimilis) is a member of the Tytonidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 280 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Tytonidae Barn Owls
- Genus Phodilus
- Species assimilis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 280 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Tytonidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl (Phodilus assimilis) belongs to the Tytonidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Sri Lanka, sw India.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 280 g, with a wing length of about 19.1 cm and a tail of around 8.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 75,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sri Lanka Bay Owl?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is a large bird that weighs around 280 g.
Where does the Sri Lanka Bay Owl live?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Sri Lanka, sw India, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sri Lanka Bay Owl belong to?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl (Phodilus assimilis) belongs to the Tytonidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Sri Lanka Bay Owl eat?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Sri Lanka Bay Owl migrate?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sri Lanka Bay Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Sri Lanka Bay Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Sri Lanka Bay Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sri Lanka Bay Owl's range?
The Sri Lanka Bay Owl has a mapped global range of about 75,000 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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