Population justification: The population size was previously listed as 50-249 mature individuals based on the number of records from known sites.However, as more surveys are conducted more individuals are being found at more sites, e.g. The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) is an owl which breeds in central India. Summary; Text account; Data table and detailed info; Distribution map; Reference and further resources; Select View Summary; Text account; Data table and detailed info; Distribution map; Reference and further resources; Current view: summary Family: Strigidae (Typical Owls) Authority: (Hume, 1873) Red List Category. Rediscovery of an Indian enigma: the Forest Owlet. its recent reporting from Gujarat (Patel et al. It is a typical owlet with a rather plain crown and heavily banded wings and tail. "forest owlet facts" The Forest Owlet may look like a docile creature, but this bird wields ridiculously huge talons for its size. For a long time they were thought to be extinct. Facts Summary: The Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) is a species of concern belonging in the species group "birds" and found in the following area(s): India. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. They use these huge talons to snare prey animals up to even twice its own Central India , its most distinctive features is its whitish underside and small size. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae. Creature Profile. The Forest Owlet is small (23cm) and stocky. The forest owlet was first officially described by zoologists in 1873, and only a little over a decade in 1884, they disappeared. This article is only an excerpt. This bird was not discriminated by me, but three specimens were included among those of 'brama' sent to Mr Hume. From the dates of the specimens I remember very distinctly about them. Fast Facts: – Despite having small bodies, Forest Owlet has big disproportionate talons that help them to catch their prey easily. That was, until 1997, 103 years later, that Pamela Rasmussen found another. Read More. This species is also known by the following name(s): Athene blewitti, Forest Little Owl, Forest Spotted Owlet. Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti. by Pamela C. Rasmussen, from OBC Bulletin 27, June 1998. The forest owlet (Athene blewitti) is a small owl endemic to India, and is classified as ‘endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, thanks to its small and isolated population in the country.Whenever this bird has been in the news, it has thankfully been for the right reasons. Forest Owlets generally hunt during the day and feed upon rodents, grasshoppers, lizards, birds, and frogs. They have dark grey-brown plumage and also a faintly spotted crown and mantle. Share .