---
title: "Spotted Owlet"
description: "Athene brama — Birds. The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a small owl which breeds in tropical Asia from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/spotted-owlet
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Spotted Owlet

> Athene brama — Birds. The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a small owl which breeds in tropical Asia from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia.

- Scientific name: *Athene brama*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `urban` (Towns & gardens), `farm` (Farm)
- iNaturalist observations: 7118
- Wikidata: [Q839524](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q839524)
- iNaturalist taxon: [20012](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/20012)

## Names

- en: Spotted Owlet
- de: Brahmakauz
- es: Tecolote manchado de la India
- fr: Chevêche brame
- nl: Brahmaanse steenuil
- pl: Pójdźka bramińska

## Countries with the most observations

IN (4671), TH (1674), NP (138), BD (66), PK (48), KH (23), IR (17), MM (12), BT (5), VN (3)

## Summary

The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a small owl which breeds in tropical Asia from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia. A common resident of open habitats including farmland and human habitation, it has adapted to living in cities. They roost in small groups in the hollows of trees or in cavities in rocks and buildings. It nests in a hole in a tree or building, laying 3–5 eggs. The species shows great variation including clinal variation in size and forms a superspecies with the very similar little owl.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_owlet

## Photo

![Spotted Owlet](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/spotted-owlet/medium.jpg)

Photo: John Kenrick Gibson · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112264794

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/spotted-owlet?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).