The shadows of the Jungle
Wilpattu National Park
That dark silhouette looking at you from a treetop through the thick jungle is non-other than the Sri Lankan Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis).
If this is your competition in your next fishing trip you might not have much of a chance! That yellow circle in the eyes stands out like the moon in the night sky and for this bird, Stalking is life!
If the name didn’t give it away, the main food for this bird is fish! But they can prey on rodents and other small creatures as well. On extremely rare occasions they have been seen scavenging on carcasses left by other predators.
This species is endemic to Sri Lanka and can be found mainly in wildlife parks and jungles, but it has been spotted in residential areas on rare occasions. Spot the owl should definitely be in your next itinerary to Sri Lanka.
