Indian Eagle Owl

Hello, I am Bubo. I am two years old.  I have been called by many names, but I simply loved it, when I was christened Indian Eagle Owl.  A good dose of patriotism courses through my veins too. You see!!!

         

         A countless lore, myths and superstitions surround my family and me. We are perhaps the only birds that have captured the imagination of the humans throughout the centuries. Probably for all the wrong reasons, I wonder!!  Either we send a creepy shudder through the spine or make people open their eyes wide in wonder and marvel at our beauty and elegance.

         We live in a very beautiful rocky ravine. Our residence is made of many stone boulders on which we can lazily perch. A leisurely gurgling stream runs through our ravine and creates a mystic ambience. Gently sloping hills and a thick green forest complete my enchanting habitat. Many of our relatives live in grasslands, semi arid deserts and some even have learnt to live near human habitation.

          

         I prefer to laze out during the day and hunt during the night.

I’m a die-hard non-vegetarian and mice and other rodents are my most favorite delicacy. In fact, people are unaware that I am one of the best natural pest controllers, as rodents are major agricultural pests and damage a lot of crops.

          

         Do you know I have an ability to turn my head by 270 degrees? I bet you didn’t!!.  I have fourteen vertebrae in my neck while all other birds have  just seven!! While the neck vertebrae provide for the range of neck movement, many birds and animals would suffer traumatic arterial injuries and blood flow interruptions from such extreme motion.

We have special blood-pooling systems that collect blood to power our brains and eyes when neck movement cuts off ccirculation.      

My vision is too quite unconventional. I love my eyes, which are dark orange in colour. My eyes are extremely large and nearly touch the inside of the head. They are also completely immobile and cannot be considered true “eyeballs,” since they’re actually tube-shaped.

A large part of what makes us such effective hunters is our ability to hear exceptionally well, while remaining absolutely silent ourselves. Also the special structuring of our wings lets us fly without making a smallest amount of noise and catch the prey totally unawares.

However it pains me immensely to see that we are the most misunderstood birds. We are considered as the harbingers of ill omen and many of us are killed because of this superstition. Many forget that one of my revered ancestors serves as a vehicle for goddess Laxmi.

However the present is bringing a breath of fresh air. Humans who earlier used to shoo us or pelt us with stones are no longer the majority. Nowadays I am seeing people harmlessly watching me and marvel at my beauty. Some come armed with strange contraptions, which make a weird noise. Though I was alarmed in the beginning, I have realized that this group of people mean no harm to me. Good days are here to stay!!!!