It is very rare for a Himalayan owl to be found in plains.
A rare species of owl, considered extinct, has been found in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. The bird was found in the city's New Market area, news agency ANI reported. The species of owl is not usually found in plains, so the discovery stunned locals. The owl was later handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and then taken by the Kanpur Zoological Park in their custody, ANI further said in its report. This comes days after a rare Himalayan Griffon Vulture was captured by locals in Kanpur.
"The owl is of an extinct species and it is rarely found in the plains," Dr Rambabu of Kanpur Zoo told ANI.
A civilian said that he was surprised to see a Himalayan Owl in the city.
"After the Himalayan vulture found in the city a few days ago, today I was surprised to see a Himalayan owl in the city's new market," said the local, identified by the news agency as RP Gupta.
The Himalayan owl (scientific name Strix nivicolum) is a medium-sized bird, measuring 35-40 cm in length and weighing around 400 grams. It appears very similar to a tawny owl.
The Himalayan owl's beak is pale greenish yellow in colour. The species is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
On January 9, people in a village in Kanpur captured a Himalayan Griffon Vulture. In videos posted on social media, the villagers were seen posing with the distressed bird, pulling its wings to a full stretch to show off their capture.
With a wing span of over six feet, the Griffon Vulture is one the biggest bird species found in the Himalayas, as per experts.
Their large wingspan helps these vultures soar high in the sky searching for carcasses on the ground.