It is a typical owlet with a rather plain crown and heavily banded wings and tail. Popularizing owl conservation through owl guide books, local folklore and street plays. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) initiated the surveys in 1999 and reported the presence of forest owlet from North-western Maharashtra and Melghat Tiger Reserve. The bird was rediscovered 113 years later in 1997 in Central India by Pamela Rasmussen. Over the past one year, the NCSN has spotted the bird at least six times and has seen a ray of hope in their conservation. The mystery of the forest owlet’s life remains to be unraveled. The Forest Owlet is an endangered variety. To address the issues above, it is important to generate awareness at various levels. Breeding Vultures @ Anjaneri Cliff. The story of its apparent extinction and rediscovery is equally dramatic. However, use of rodenticides by farmers can cause a serious threat to survival of owls in the area. Thus the forest owlet made its reappearance after 113 long years!! It has captured the imagination of many within and outside the country and for the right reasons. As a forest-dwelling species, it needs forested habitats to roost, cavity-bearing trees to nest and forest … They started with a search in Odisha and Chhattisgarh where the erstwhile forests had disappeared giving way to crop fields. Forest, the habitat of Forest owlet in its range is being lost and degraded by illegal tree harvesting for firewood and timber and encroachment for cultivation and settlements. The bird breeds between October and May, laying a brood of two eggs in a hole of soft wooded tree. She is also the author of Environment Science Essentials, a set of books for school children. However, for us it is still Blewitt’s owl. Once again an intensive search was carried out for the forest owlet all over the country but it drew a blank. But in most other places, owls are not so lucky. While owls are considered as harbingers of death, in reality it is the other way round! She realized that the bird looked very different from those shown in the illustrations in Indian bird books, and that Indian scientists were looking for it based on a wrong picture of its appearance. Hence, it is the need of the hour to conserve the bird species for the maintenance of biological diversity and ecological stability. Many owls hunt by the roadside and are frequently killed by speeding vehicles. Forest owlet preys on lizards, small rodents, nestling of other birds, frogs, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Forest owlet is endemic across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. It can be concluded that the Forest owlet is facing threat of extinction mainly due to habitat loss, predation and hunting. Project Summary: Forest Owlet … The body parts and eggs of Forest owlet are used for local customs, such as making of drums. Dr. Rasmussen and her team decided to carry out a survey of the bird at its historical locations In India. Though owls show their wisdom by selecting a nocturnal niche to avoid competition with other birds, they are considered to be stupid and foolish (ullu) for some bizarre reasons. The bird was not extinct – it was overlooked by so many for so many years. It was first described in 1873 and last seen in the wild in 1884. Thereafter, Forest owlet was considered extinct until it was rediscovered 113 years later in 1997 by American Ornithologists Ben King, Pamela Rasmussen, and David Abbott at Shahada near Taloda in the Nandurbar District of Maharashtra. The owl is considered to be the vehicle of the Goddess Laxmi. Although the forest owlet possesses superficial similarity to the much commonly seen Spotted Owlet (Athene brama), it has several distinctive features that distinguish it from the spotted owlet. © 2020 Conservation India | About CI | Note to Contributors | Authors | Posting Guidelines | Terms of Use | Disclaimer | Contact. It was in 1872 when an Irish officer, Mr. Francis Robert Blewitt (F. R. Blewitt) saw this different looking owl near Phooljhar in eastern Madhya Pradesh (now in Chhattisgarh). She hopes this website provides a platform for people to be aware about species in the verge of extinction and heighten their conservation efforts. The forest owlet has an interesting past associated with it. stumbled upon the forest owlet from moist deciduous teak forests in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, Raptor Research and Conservation Foundation (RRCF), Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS). Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 12254922 Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS) is a Non-Profit and Non-Government Organisation based in Maharashtra State of India. Our organisation, Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS) also carried out a survey of the Forest Owlet in the five Indian states where it was originally known to be present: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, … The Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) is a curious bird, both by name and nature. Present Status of the Forest Owlet in India. We are one of the premium publisher in the field of technology and science. Owls are considered to be inauspicious and messengers of death because they fly at night! Scientists are still undecided about the correct genus of the forest owlet. One owl can feed on 1000 mice in a year, which would otherwise damage 1/3rd of the grain in a crop field. Under forestry operations, many such trees are felled for the purpose of improvement of forest stock. The forest owlet appears to have low breeding success as each year there are only 1 or 2 juveniles emerging out of 6 to 7 nests, while the spotted owlets that share the same habitat have a higher survival rate. The forest department admitted violations of norms by the Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS), based out of Pune, over the conservation of the endemic forest owlet … Owls are like the golden goose for sorcerers. Rodents form a major part of the owl’s diet. Eggs and chicks of owls are stolen from the nests for gambling and earning a quick buck. The Forest Owlet is endemic to India, that is, it is not found anywhere outside India. The forest owlet is an iconic species for conservation that survives in isolated populations in the country. The upper breast is almost solid brown and the sides are barred with a white central wedge in the lower breast. At one nest, the young fledged at 30-32 days, after which they were dependent on the parents for at least another 40-45 days. The following actions are needed for the conservation of Forest owlet. Hume, a well-known British taxonomist and a civil service officer serving in India. Forest owlet’s preferred habitat is the dry deciduous teak forests. Owls provide an immensely useful ecological service by feeding on rodents. It has captured the imagination of many within and outside the country and for the right reasons. Large scale use of pesticides in its range is also considered as an additional threat to the bird species. The phylogenetic relationship of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet … The bird suffers predation from a number of native raptors. The phylogenetic relationship of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti has been the subject of a century-old debate. The forest owlet has an unspotted crown, presence of full throat collar, and thickly feathered legs; its lateral tail flicking habit and undulating flight are among the most visible characteristics that made taxonomists create a unique genus, Heteroglaux, for a single species! The Forest Owlet is endemic to India and been classified as a Critically Endangered species by the IUCN. Her museum research also found that the record of forest owlet from Gujarat was a false one as Col. Meinertzhagen had stolen one specimen from Davidson’s collection and claimed it as his own! Till then it is a serious case of identity crisis! The rediscovery renewed renewed the interest of scientists and naturalists in the forest owlet in India. Critically endangered species are those species which are facing threat of extinction in immediate future. The Forest owlet is protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, and its hunting or trapping is strictly prohibited in India. It is also listed on Appendix I and Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Range-restricted species generally have specific niche requirements and may often have unique evolutionary histories. Public awareness posters with catchy slogans in the local language have been displayed by the roadside. Owls are also killed for using their powerful eyes, talons, beaks, tails, and feathers for gaining the prowess of owls in fake traditional medicines. Conservation of Forest Owlet in Satpura Landscape The known locations of the Forest Owlet extend along the Satpura Range, starting from Khandwa in the north, to Betul in the east, Melghat and Yawal in … Melghat is considered to be the species stronghold. These prey items are often caught in hollow tree trunks. 2. The Forest owlet is small and stocky. The magnificence of owls are misinterpreted in many cultures across the world, including India. They are considered evil because of their unconventional appearance. Dr. Pamela Rasmussen, an American ornithologist was studying the preserved skins of forest owlet. The Forest owlet is protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, and its hunting or trapping is strictly prohibited in India. 1. In November 1997, they started a survey in Maharashtra near Nandurbar district and much to everyone’s surprise, they found two forest owlets. The owlet’s future. Our organization, the Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS) also carried out a survey of the forest owlet in five central Indian states from which they were originally known to be present. The species is hunted by the local inhabitants. Unfortunately, many of these species severely lack basic research, resulting in poor conservation strategies. Forest Owlet preferred forest habitat has an upper canopy at 15-26 meters with a 10-20 meter understory. 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