Nature quest: Spot the spotted

A couple of spotted owlets share a loving moment in the capital's Botanical Garden. Native to many South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, this bird prefers open habitats, including cities, but tends to avoid dense forests and wetter regions. Due to its diet – small mammals, rodents, birds, reptiles and insects – it's known as "the farmer's friend" as it helps keep pests away from farmlands.

Photo: Mohammad Ridwanur Rahman

Spotted owlets are nocturnal and sit-and-wait predators, meaning they wait for the perfect opportunity to swoop or pounce from their prey.  Though they play a significant role in the food chain of old-growth forests, habitat loss due to deforestation and timber harvesting has caused their global numbers to decline. Thus, the spotted owlet has been listed in the "near threatened" category of the IUCN's Red List.