Strigiformes / Strigidae / Strix
Brown Wood Owl
Strix leptogrammica · 褐林鸮
Introduction
A medium-large earless owl in the family Strigidae, found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan, and south China. It is a resident breeder in south Asia, inhabiting dense forests. The species is highly nocturnal.
Description
Medium large (45–57 cm). Upperparts are uniformly dark brown with faint white spotting on the shoulders. Underparts are buff with brown streaking. The facial disc is brown or rufous, edged with white and without concentric barring. Eyes are dark brown. A white neckband is present. Sexes are similar in appearance.
Distribution & Habitat
Found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan, and south China. Resident breeder in south Asia. Occurs from the Himalayan foothills of Kashmir east to Taiwan. There are 14 subspecies, including S. leptogrammica bartelsi (Java), S. leptogrammica caligata (Taiwan), S. leptogrammica newarensis (Himalayan foothills to Taiwan), and S. leptogrammica ochrogenys (Sri Lanka).
Behavior & Ecology
Highly nocturnal and commonly found in dense forests. Often located by small birds mobbing it while roosting. Diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Call is a (hoo) hoo hoo HOO, a deep goke-goke-ga-LOOO, or a loud scream. Alarm call is a bark, wow-wow. Northern subspecies produce a soft low to-hooh, while the Javan subspecies has a loud, forceful, single HOOH! with long pauses.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Strix
Vocalizations
Subspecies (14)
-
Strix leptogrammica bartelsi
Java
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
