The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, also known as the Forest Eagle-Owl, Bubo nipalensis is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in southern and south-eastern Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

. This, like its relative the Barred Eagle-Owl

Barred Eagle-owl

The Barred Eagle-Owl , also called the Malay Eagle Owl, is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is found in Brunei, Cocos Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife...

, is one of the species that would have to be moved into Ketupa if that genus is to be retained, according to mtDNA cytochrome b

Cytochrome b

Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...

 sequence

DNA sequence

The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...

 data (Olsen et al. 2002).

The Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl is nocturnal and spends the day hidden among foliage of a large forest tree. At dusk it becomes active and hunts small mammals, reptiles, and birds up to the size of junglefowl

Junglefowl

Junglefowl are the four living species of bird from the genus Gallus in the Gallinaceous bird order, which occur in India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and Indonesia....

.

Noted for its strange, human-sounding call, it was suggested that it be the cryptid

Cryptid

In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, a cryptid is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by scientific consensus and often regarded as highly unlikely. Famous examples include the Yeti in the Himalayas and the Loch Ness Monster in...

 known as ulama or "Devil Bird

Devil Bird

The Devil Bird, locally known as Ulama, is a cryptid of Sri Lanka said to emit bloodcurdling human sounding shrieks in the night from within the jungles. In Sri Lankan folklore, it is believed that the cry of this bird is an omen that portends death...

" in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

. A local name is Maha Bakamuna ("large horned owl"). According to http://www.cryptozoology.com, in July 2001 it was confirmed that ulama description perfectly matches Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl.

Its nesting season

Nesting season

The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring....

is from December to March.

External links

• cryptozoology.com: Devil Bird. Retrieved 2006-DEC-23.