Rare Australian Grass Owl Spotted in Assam Wetland

Guwahati: A rare Australian Grass Owl showed up at Maguri Motapung Beel on July 11. The sighting happened while a group of visitors from Delhi took part in a guided birdwatching session. This bird is notoriously hard to track. It prefers thick grasslands and stays out of sight.

The wetland sits right on the edge of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. It draws ornithologists and photographers from all over India. The spot acts as a vital home for hundreds of migratory and local bird species. Experts want more work done to protect the area. They say the sighting highlights the ecological importance of the wetland and the "need for continued conservation efforts to protect its fragile ecosystem from environmental degradation and human-induced pressures."

Conservationists expect this record to boost the profile of the site. They hope it leads to better scientific tracking of local bird populations. The area remains a top destination for those watching the skies.