Phodilus assimilis
| Sri Lanka bay owl | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Tytonidae |
| Genus: | Phodilus |
| Species: | P. assimilis |
| Binomial name | |
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Phodilus assimilis Hume, 1877 |
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The Sri Lanka bay owl (Phodilus assimilis) is a species of bay owl in the family Tytonidae. It is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka and Western Ghats in Kerala, South Western India. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Oriental bay owl.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Earlier considered a subspecies of the Oriental bay owl Phodilus badius, but now considered a separate species based on differences in call and plumage. Two subspecies are recognised:
Phodilus assimilis in Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Sri Lanka bay owl at Arippa forest, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
In Top Slip, Anamalai Hills, Tamil Nadu
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Wikipedia