indian scops owl (otus bakkamoena) perched on a tree branch in the dead of night : (pix sanjiv shukla)

indian scops owl otus bakkamoena true typical family strigidae resident native south asia small raptor predator largest head tufts ears facial disc eye orange brown buff neckband flight undulating call avian arabia nocturnal subcontinent natural camouflage daytime bird mob roosting tree insect nest hole bad omen old world cryptic color mammal reptile bat amphibian invertebrate claw curved bill solitary