Life History
The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl is nocturnal and spends the day often hidden on dense foliaged bough of a large forest tree. However, they have been observed on the move and even actively hunting during the day, especially where inhabiting forests with minimal human disturbances. Normally at dusk their activity picks up and they begin hunting.
This is a very powerful and bold predatory owl, who assuredly is at the top of the avain food chain in its range, nocturnally. They appear to hunt primary gamebirds, mostly several species of pheasant. Among these, junglefowl are predated as are large peafowl. It also takes some diversity of mammals, from small rodents to large prey such as jackals, hares, civets and even young muntjacs. They will also opportunistically predate snakes, lizards (including large monitor lizards) and fish. The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl pounces on birds while they're asleep on their nocturnal perches in trees or bamboo clumps, often killing them in seconds with their powerful talons.
This species' nesting season is from December to March, however an egg for this species has been recorded as late as June in Cachar. Most nesting sites are in large tree hollows. Alternately, they use an abandoned stick nests made by large birds, in many cases those previously built by eagles or kites. In this species, only one egg has ever been recorded per clutch and this is only one of two amongst all owl species (besides the Buffy Fish Owl) where this is known to be the case. The egg is white and roundish oval with a smooth surface, averaging 61.2 mm × 49.9 mm (2.41 in × 1.96 in) in size. It has been reported that both sexes engage in incubation but this may not be the case (male owls generally do not incubate), with the male more likely temporarily covering the eggs while the female flies off for a short period. Few further details are known of their breeding biology, including the brooding and fledging stages but this species is reportedly very fierce and aggressive of their nests.
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