Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica Scientific name definitions

39–55 cm (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 800–1100 g (nominate), 500–700 g (bartelsi), 970 g (newarensis, 1 male) (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Whitish to light rufous-brown facial disc with broad black ring around eyes; whitish eyebrows, occasionally with rufous tint; crown dark brown; upperparts lighter chestnut-brown, with some white or pale barring on scapulars and on wings and tail; chin dark brown; throat and underparts white to buffy, breast often brown, all with thin, indistinct brown barring ; tarsus fully feathered; irides dark brown; cere bluish-grey; bill greenish-horn; toes bluish-grey to pale leaden (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile  light rufous, barred rusty, wings darker with dark rufous bars, underparts pale buff with faint bars. Races vary in size, depth of coloration, and markings: <em>indranee</em> , ochrogenys and maingayi  richer and darker brown, with dark rufous facial disc, more chestnut in <em>ochrogenys</em> ; <em>vaga</em> slightly bigger than nominate, and duller, greyer; niasensis smaller, chest bright chestnut; bartelsi with more tawny facial disc, dark brown above, pale chin; “<em>newarensis</em> group” much larger, facial disc whitish to pale fulvous-brown, large white throat patch, brown chest band, but within this group subspecific differences revolve mainly around size, with laotiana (wing 377–442 mm) slightly darker above, especially on head, and more buff below than newarensis (wing 395–442 mm), whereas ticehursti (wing 355–395 mm) and caligata (wing 367–401 mm) are both smaller to greater or lesser degrees.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Probably a species complex rather than a single species. N forms living in montane habitats (newarensis, ticehursti, caligata, laotiana) larger, with different vocalizations, likely to represent a separate, polytypic species; race bartelsi likewise vocally and morphologically distinct and living at higher elevations, probably also specifically distinct, as is the small, little-known niasensis (these treated as separate species but without full review of evidence in recent monograph (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) ); detailed analysis needed. In addition, Sri Lankan ochrogenys sometimes considered synonymous with indranee; chaseni possibly synonymous with nominate, but sometimes included in myrtha (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); myrtha and nyctiphasma perhaps doubtfully distinct from maingayi. Further races described are connectens (single specimen from C India), included in indranee; rileyi (S Thailand) in maingayi; and orientalis and shahensis, both treated as synonyms of ticehursti. Fourteen subspecies recognized.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Forest, usually dense and undisturbed, generally avoiding areas of human habitation: in N Indian Subcontinent often evergreen and moist deciduous, generally at 750–2500 m, but also reported up to 4000 m; dense, broadleaved forest at 760–2700 m in Nepal; to 2750 m in China and Taiwan; plains to 1800 m in peninsular India, also densely wooded gardens in Sri Lanka; noted both in montane forest and in open country in Thailand; primary forest in lowlands in Borneo and Sumatra, where recorded at up to 1500 m; undisturbed mountain forest and forest edge in Java.

Resident (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Small mammals, especially rodents but also some shrews, and Javan specimen contained remains of fruit bat (Cynopterus) in stomach; also small birds and reptiles, and large insects; some reports of fish being taken. Bird prey apparently more important in N of range, include not only smaller species such as doves and mynas but also some up to size of pheasants; preference for partridges (Arborophila, Bambusicola) evident.

Brief series of 3–4 short hoots  , first ones very soft, last one longer and louder; also deep, four-syllable “goke-goke-ga-looo” with emphasis on final note; barking “wow wow” alarm call also noted. Race bartelsi a distinctive, loud, explosive, forceful, single “hooh”, repeated at long intervals; “newarensis group” a low “to-hooh” not unlike Rock Dove (Columba livia).

Lays Jan–Mar in S India and Sri Lanka; Feb–Apr in Himalayas; chick from nest in Singapore fledged in late Jan (2 Lim, K.C., Teo, R., Tan, J. and Yeo, S.T. (2011). First national and nesting records of Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica for Singapore. BirdingASIA. 16: 35-38. Close ). Nest in cavity of tree  , sometimes with few feathers present; in Himalayas, also on rock ledge on cliff face, or in cave, or a scrape on ground, generally at base of tree or rock; nest in Singapore was atop leaf litter in fork of tree trunk 4 m off ground (2 Lim, K.C., Teo, R., Tan, J. and Yeo, S.T. (2011). First national and nesting records of Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica for Singapore. BirdingASIA. 16: 35-38. Close ). Clutch 2 eggs, occasionally 1; egg size c. 50 mm × 44 mm for nominate race (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), 56·2 mm × 45·9 mm for newarensis (mean of 16 eggs) (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second Edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); incubation at one site 30 days; chicks have white down.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Uncommon throughout most of range in Indian Subcontinent, and rare and local in Bangladesh; possibly more common, or localy common, in Sri Lanka; rare in Java, where ongoing clearance of mountain forest represents a major threat; in rest of range appears to be uncommon to rare, and again suffering from forest destruction. Global population size and population trends unknown. Occurs in several protected areas throughout its range, such as Chitwan National Park (Nepal), Nam Nao National Park and Khao Nor Chuchi Wildlife Sanctuary (Thailand), Way Kambas National Park (Sumatra), Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak), Danum Valley Conservation Area (Sabah), Barito Ulu National Park (Kalimantan) and Baluran National Park (Java).