Kolkata: A team of birdwatchers have documented the first-ever photographic record of the Australasian Grass Owl (Tyto longimembris) in Farakka Important Bird Area (IBA) confirming its distribution in Bengal.
A four-month Bird Survey initiated by the state Forest department in Malda resulted in this discovery.
The species was first recorded on March 9, by Sandip Das, along with Swarup Sarkar and Saikat Das, during the survey conducted by the Malda division of the Forest department, in collaboration with Green Peoples India, Malda and the Birdwatcher’s Society, Kolkata.
This sighting is of immense ornithological significance, as the species has rarely been recorded in Bengal.
The last known report dates back to 1980 when noted birdwatcher Ajoy Holme mentioned its presence in Santiniketan in his book ‘Chena Ochena Pakhi’. Prior to that, the only known record of the Australasian Grass Owl in Bengal was in 1920 by C.M. Inglis, as referenced in “A Tentative List of the Vertebrates of the Jalpaiguri District, Bengal (Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Vol. 26).
EC Stuart Baker also mentioned its distribution in Malda, presently Malda.
The discovery at Farakka IBA not only reaffirms the presence of this elusive species in Bengal after over four decades but also highlights the ecological importance of the region. The Australasian Grass Owl, known for its nocturnal habits and preference for grassland habitats is rarely spotted due to its secretive nature.
This remarkable documentation marks a new chapter in the study of Bengal’s avian diversity and reinforces the importance of continued bird surveys and conservation initiatives.
On Tuesday, a joint team of Forest department led by Divisional Forest Officer and district administration visited the site to reconfirm the location and presence of the species and discussion on conservation efforts are already in place along with the Bird Survey teams to understand the criticality and steps which can be taken in the upcoming days.