This rare endemic species is also known as Forest Spotted Owlet or Blewitt’s Owl. It inhabits dry deciduous forests of India (mainly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat), at the heights of 200-700m (BirdLife International 2018).

Conservation Status:

 

This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).

 

According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, the population of this species is declining, with the current population size estimated at 250-999 individuals. The threat to its persistence comes from habitat disturbance due to large-scale agriculture and other human encroachments like large scale timber harvest, illegal tree felling and building dams (BirdLife International 2018).