First photographic evidence of Spot-bellied Eagle Owl (Strigiformes: Strigidae) in Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand, India
Abstract
We report the first photographic documentation of Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Ketupa nipalensis from Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jharkhand, India. The observation on 27 September 2024, represents a significant westward range extension, with the nearest previously documented populations 250–550 km away in Odisha and West Bengal. However, multiple records from Madhya Pradesh suggest that the species has an established but poorly documented presence in central India as well.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Avian ecology and behavior
Species Distribution and Climate Change
Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Threatened Taxa
- Publisher
- Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 28252–28254
- Publication date
- 26 January 2026