Rare owls sighted in Rann of Kutch

AHMEDBAD: It was a rare sight that got nature lovers celebrating.

A pair of Pallid Scops Owl was sighted in Jenabad in Surendranagar district. Dhanraj Malik, a bird watcher who first sighted it in his resort, says: "I could not believe my luck. First I was not able to ascertain what the bird was. This migratory bird if it sits in the trees cannot be spotted easily - since it merges with the background. Last year I saw this pair but could not identify what it was. But this year with some of expert bird watchers it was established that it was a Pallid Scops Owl.''

The Pallid Scops Owl is a small eared owl similar in appearance to the Common Scops owls that are found in the Middle East, Western and Central Asia, with some populations moving as far as the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and India in the winter. It has more distinct streaks on the back and less intricate markings.

Bird watcher and wild life photographer Mukesh Shah says, "I am sure this was a Pallid Scops Owl and not common scops owl.''

Bharat Jethwa, a scientist with the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research says, "This is a rare sighting.''