Fun Spotted Owlet Facts For Kids

Does learning about various birds interest you? Then you will enjoy reading about spotted owlets.

The spotted owlet or Athene brama is a small-sized bird found in India and various other countries of Asia. It belongs to the order Strigiformes and family Strigidae. Athene brama, the spotted owlet, is grayish-brown in color and has prominent white spots all over its body.

The name spotted owlet was given for these graceful spots on their body. The population of this bird is quite widespread and can be very commonly spotted in a backyard or old buildings. They are mostly active at night and roost during the day but can be seen during the day at times.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN has listed them as Least Concern and the population has remained stable. So, spotted owlets are not at risk of endangerment anytime soon.

Keep on reading to learn more amusing facts about spotted owlets. If you want to keep on learning about more interesting species, then check out these barn owl facts and tawny owl facts.

Spotted Owlet Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a spotted owlet?

The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a type of bird. It belongs to the order Strigiformes.

What class of animal does a spotted owlet belong to?

Like all birds, spotted owlets belong to the Aves class of Animalia kingdom. It is a member of the family  Strigidae and genus Athene.

How many spotted owlets are there in the world?

Spotted owlets are quite commonly spotted. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN, the population of this bird is stable. However, the exact number of spotted owlets living in this world is not known.

Where does a spotted owlet live?

Spotted owlets can be very commonly found in various countries of Asia. They are widespread in India but the population size decreases from north to south. Iran, Vietnam, and other countries of Southeast Asia also experience their presence. However, they are not found in Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.

What is a spotted owlet's habitat?

The most preferred habitat of the spotted owlets is the open or semi-open areas like near farmland and human habitation. They can be easily spotted in any backyard of India and other countries of Southeast Asia.

They build their nests near human habitations including trees or in cavities in rocks. Athene brama is well adjusted to living in a city.

Who do spotted owlets live with?

Spotting this bird in groups or pairs is not an uncommon event. They often roost in small groups in trees or in cavities in rocks. A pair of these birds can be very commonly noticed building nests in a tree or building, laying eggs, and performing foraging activities.

How long does a spotted owlet live?

The lifespan of this bird cannot be determined.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of the northern indica populations is from February to April, whereas the breeding season of the southern indica populations is from November to March. They build their nests in a hole in a tree or cavities and attract potential mates by ritual feeding or bill grasping.

Females can be found in a tree or building laying three to five eggs.

Young ones within the same brood show variation in size. Baby spotted owlets have pineal glands like most owls or owlets and can leave the nest after 20-28 days.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN has listed Athene brama as Least Concern in their Red List. Their population has remained stable over the years and there is no immediate threat to the bird's population.

Spotted Owlet Fun Facts

What do spotted owlets look like?

The spotted owlet is a small bird but the spotted owlet skull is relatively bigger. It has a rounded head. The species has a grayish-brown body with numerous white spots. Spotted owlets have bright yellow eyes and white eyebrows. They have a comparatively smaller tail. Females of the species tend to be larger than males.

How cute are they?

This species found very commonly in India is blessed with bright eyes and vibrant coloration. Their round head and prominent white spots make them look extremely cute.

How do they communicate?

Spotted owlets use vocalization to communicate. The most common spotted owlet call is a high-pitched 'chirurrr-chirurrr'. They also use a howling 'cheevak, cheevak' call.

How big is a spotted owlet?

The spotted owlet size ranges from 7.5 -8.3 in (19-21 cm). It has a wingspan of 5.6-6.7 in (14.3-17.1 cm)  and a tail of 2.6-3.6 in (6.5-9.3 cm) in length. When compared to a barn owl, this bird is almost two times smaller in size.

How fast can a spotted owlet fly?

Spotted owlets can be often seen gliding or in flight. However, the exact speed of this species is not known.

How much does a spotted owlet weigh?

The average weight of this bird is somewhere between 3.9-4 oz (110-114g). Females of the species tend to be bulkier than males.

What are the male and female names of their species?

A male of this species is called a cock and the female of the species is called a hen.

What would you call a baby spotted owlet?

A baby owlet can be referred to as a chick.

What do they eat?

These birds living in India, and other countries of Southeast Asia, follow a carnivorous diet. They take advantage of living in nests in a hole in a tree or old building to feed on rodents like mice and woodrats, flying squirrels, and other small birds.

Their diet also includes various insects and larvae. The hole nesters that roost in small groups or pairs in hollows of trees, sometimes leave the tree hole and wait on a lamppost or on branches of big trees for the insects to fly by.

Are they dangerous?

Spotted owlets prey aggressively on insects and birds are a very common sight in India and other countries of Asia. Since spotted owlets are mostly active during the night, they rest in hollows of trees or buildings during the day.

So if they are disturbed from their daytime site, they tend to become aggressive and bob head at the intruders.

Would they make a good pet?

It is pretty difficult to pet any owl or owlet. It needs a great deal of care and attention. Even though a spotted owlet pet can be seen in certain places, it is wise to not keep them in captivity.

Did you know...

Earlier, the little owl (Athene noctua) and the spotted owlet (athene brama) were treated as the same species group. Even though they are not considered the same any more, they have formed a superspecies complex.

Various subspecies have been recognized, however, the race poikila,  A. b. mayri described by Deignan, and A. b. fryi described by Stuart Baker are not recognized as their subspecies.

Unlike most owls, spotted owlets have prominent differences in melatonin levels. They have higher melatonin concentration in the afternoon and the melatonin concentration tends to decrease during the night.

Do spotted owlets mate for life?

Very little is known about the courtship behavior of spotted owlets. Multiple males of the species might mate with a female.

What is the difference between an owl and an owlet?

A baby or a little owl is called an owlet.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these short-eared owl facts and burrowing owl facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Spotted owlet coloring pages.

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