Jungle Owlet
<p><strong>Jungle Owlet:</strong> <strong><em>Size doesn’t matter.</em></strong></p>
<p>This Jungle Owlet <em>Glaucidium radiatum</em> in the Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, seems as taken aback as we are to have brought down a Plum-headed Parakeet <em>Psittacula cyanocephala</em>; a prey almost double its size! When hunting for larger prey, owls depend on speed, agility and plain old physics. Smaller-sized owls like the Jungle Owlet use momentum when hunting birds on the wing. Having located its target, the owl heads towards it at high speed, head in line with its quarry. Then, at the very last moment, the owl pulls its head back and thrusts its feet forward, talons spread and ready to grab the unsuspecting prey. The forceful impact stuns its prey, giving the owl ample time to deal the <em>coup de grace</em> using its beak.</p>
