An Indian Eagle Owl (komban aanthai) was sighted by bird watchers in the dry catchment area of Mettur Dam recently.
The fairly large bird has prominent brown ear-tufts and is called the rock eagle owl. This bird is found in hill and rocky scrub forests and is usually seen in pairs.
With the River Cauvery and the catchment areas of the Mettur Dam remaining dry for the last few months, the Indian Eagle Owl was spotted in the gap between the rocks that have surfaced.
V. Kalaiselvan, an active bird watcher teaching in the Neerumullikuttai Panchayat Union Elementary School, who spotted the bird says that the Indian Eagle Owls move out of their hideouts only during the night hours for hunting their prey. They fly without raising noise and their hooting in the wee hours create panic not only among other birds and animals, but also among the human beings.
Owl is considered as an inauspicious bird and its hooting, many believe, is a bad omen. Hence, rural people go on a killing spree of this bird.
But, actually the Indian Eagle Owls are friends of farmers as they hunt the rats, bandicoots, and vettukili which damage the crops. The Indian Eagle Owl has the power of killing five to eight rats which destroy the crops in the fields in a single night, Mr. Kalaiselvan says.
He is sad that the owls are being killed due to religious beliefs by people involved in witch crafts. People should shun superstitious beliefs and should take steps for protecting this bird.
