Oriental bay owl
In Thai: นกแสกแดง, nok saek daeng
Binomial name: Phodilus badius, Thomas Horsfield, 1821
The oriental bay owl (Phodilus badius) is a type of bay owl, usually classified with barn owls. It is completely nocturnal, and can be found throughout Southeast Asia. It has several subspecies. It has a heart-shaped face with earlike extensions. The Congo bay owl (Phodilus prigoginei) was formerly classified as a subspecies of Oriental bay owl due to insufficient knowledge, but it has turned out that it might not even belong to the same genus. The Sri Lanka bay owl was also considered a subspecies. These birds prey upon small rodents, bats, birds, snakes, frogs, lizards, and large arthropods such as beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders.
A population of this species has apparently become extinct on Samar Island in the Philippines during the 20th century. It was described as Phodilus badius riverae and was only ever known from a single specimen, which was lost in a bombing raid in 1945. The validity of this taxon is uncertain; it is usually synonymized with the nominate subspecies (for reasons of biogeography) or the subspecies saturatus (from external appearance); it might be a distinct species, however.
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Scientific classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Tytonidae
- Genus
- Phodilus
- Species
- Phodilus badius
Common names
- Thai: นกแสกแดง, nok saek daeng
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN3.1)
Photos
Range Map

- Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai
- Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary
- Doi Phu Kha National Park
- Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
- Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
- Kaeng Krachan District, Phetchaburi
- Kaeng Krachan National Park
- Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary
- Khao Luang National Park
- Khao Phra - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary
- Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary
- Khao Sok National Park
- Khao Yai National Park
- Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary
- Ko Chang District, Trat
- Ko Lanta National Park
- Mae Wong National Park
- Mueang Krabi District, Krabi
- Mueang Trang District, Trang
- Pang Sida National Park
- Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary
- Phuket Province
- San Kala Khiri National Park
- Sri Phang-nga National Park
- Takua Pa District, Phang Nga
- Thale Ban National Park