Long-eared owls seen for the first time in Haryana, Delhi-NCR

A pair of long-eared owls were photographed by birders on Tuesday in Rohtak district, marking the first time that the migratory bird species has been spotted in

A pair of long-eared owls were photographed by birders on Tuesday in Rohtak district, marking the first time that the migratory bird species has been spotted in either Haryana or Delhi-NCR. This also marks the second time in just over two weeks that birders in Haryana have recorded the presence of a new species, after a Himalayan swiftlet was seen in Kalesar, Panchkula, on January 19.

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The sighting of the long-eared owl, which was reported by Dighal-based birder Rakesh Ahlawat, takes Haryana’s total record of avian biodiversity to 507-508 species. Ahlawat declined to reveal the specific location of the sighting, as “revealing the location will attract people to the area and disturb the owls. I made the sighting at about 1:30 on Tuesday afternoon,” he said. Chetana Sharma, a Delhi-based birder who was accompanying Ahlawat, photographed the birds.

While Delhi-NCR and surrounding areas have a healthy population of resident and migratory owls, the long-eared owl is a new find in the area. “In India, the long-eared owl is a migratory species, coming possibly from Europe or Central Asia. Some sightings have been reported from Jammu & Kashmir, Harike in Punjab and also further south, from Kutch in Gujarat,” said Pankaj Gupta, of the Delhi Bird Foundation, adding that the owl usually breeds in more temperate climes and winters in the tropics.

According to eBird, an open-source repository for aggregating bird sightings, a long-eared owl was also seen and photographed in Jammu last month, on January 23. It is described as a “medium-sized, rather slender owl with orange face patches and long ‘ear’ tufts. Strictly nocturnal. Found in areas with a mix of dense cover for roosting, such as brushy thickets or conifer groves, and open spaces for hunting. Generally rare and seldom-seen, but can gather in communal winter roosts with dozens of individuals (sic).”

Other migratory owl species, which have been seen in Delhi-NCR and adjacent areas, include the pallid scops owl, the Oriential scops owl, and the short-eared owl. Their resident counterparts include the Indian scops owl, the dusky eagle owl, the barn owl, and the spotted owlet.

Earlier last year, in November, Ahlawat had also photographed a rufous vented-grass babbler in Haryana’s Sirsa district, 16 years after the bird was last seen in the area. “There is a lot of potential to find newer species in locations further away from Gurugram and Faridabad, which are the main hotspots,” Ahlawat said.

A recent baseline bird count conducted in Haryana, which recorded 330 species of birds, also noted that, “Districts (other than Gurgaon, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Panchkula) hold ample opportunity to improve the species count of the state if they are visited by the experienced birders more frequently.”

“For logistical reasons, areas close to Delhi and Chandigarh, such as Gurugram, Panchkula and Faridabad are familiar territory for birders. This is why these districts have reportedly high biodiversity, but that’s not necessarily true. Other interior districts are likely to have richer biodiversity which is waiting to be discovered,” Gupta added.