Ninox affinis
The Andaman Boobook (Ninox affinis) is a captivating small to medium-sized owl, endemic to the lush forests of the Andaman Islands. Measuring approximately 23-27 cm in length, it exhibits a striking appearance with dark brown upperparts contrasting sharply with rufous, unstreaked underparts, though some individuals may show faint streaking. Its most distinctive features include large, piercing yellow eyes set against a broad, prominent white supercilium, giving it an inquisitive gaze; the tai...
Primarily inhabits tropical moist lowland forests, including semi-evergreen and deciduous woodlands, forest edges, clearings, and even mature gardens or plantations, typically from sea level up to low elevations.
Feeds primarily on large insects such as beetles and moths, supplemented with small vertebrates including lizards, small birds, and rodents, caught by perch-and-pounce or aerial hawking.
The Andaman Boobook is largely nocturnal and crepuscular, becoming active around dusk to begin its nightly foraging. During the day, it roosts solitarily or in pairs amidst dense foliage, often camouflaged remarkably well against tree trunks or branches. Its foraging strategy involves perch-and-p...
The Andaman Boobook is strictly endemic to the Andaman Islands, an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, part of India. Its distribution encompasses the major islands of Great Andaman, Little Andaman, Ritchie's Archipelago, and other smaller islets within the group. As a resident species, it does not...
Least Concern
- It is entirely endemic to the Andaman Islands, making it a unique and irreplaceable component of that archipelago's biodiversity. - Despite its relatively small size for an owl, it is an opportunistic predator capable of taking down prey nearly its own size, including small birds and rodents. -...