Owls are some of the most prized targets for birdwatchers worldwide. Their elusiveness, coupled with their atypical appearance (for birds) means that they steal the show whenever they are seen during birding sessions. It’s no different for me, as searching for owls (owling) are some of my favourite birding sub-categories. Thanks to several recent posts in the Facebook group “Owls of the World”, I feel inspired to look back and re-live my most memorable recent owl sightings. Thus, this post on what I feel were my top 5 owl encounters in 2025.
My Top 5 Owl Encounters of 2025
Owls have long terrified humans. Their nocturnal behaviour, eerie vocalisations and large, forward-facing eyes make them eerie for many people. Many cultures associate owls with bad omens, bad luck, ghosts, spirits and death. For example, in my native Malay language, they are referred to as ‘Burung Hantu’, literally translated as ghost bird.
For me though, owls are fascinating birds. Sometimes even adorable. Every owl encounter is memorable for me, but some are even more so. Over the years, I’ve had many exciting run-ins with these denizens of the dark. 2025 proved to be no different, and I managed to spot 19 species. The following is my personal top 5 owl encounters of 2025
5th Place: Indian Scops-Owl, Gir National Park, October 2025
We start this list with a close encounter of the adorable kind. I was on a jeep safari at Gir National Park, India, to see the Asiatic Lions. However, before we saw any of the big cats, we saw these cuties first. Not long after we entered the park, our guide pointed the birds to us – a pair of Indian Scops-Owl roosting in a tree hole.
It was very amusing to see them squeezing together as they’re about to roost. Since it was still early morning, their eyes were still wide open. And they look absolutely adorable with their little ear tufts as well. Awwwww!
4th Place: Dusky Eagle-Owl & Spotted Wood-Owl, Tanjung Karang, September 2025
The paddyfields surrounding Tanjung Karang, Selangor is popular with birders because of the possibility of encountering up to 6 owl species in the area. This area is also a reliable location for a poorly-known bird in Malaysia, the Dusky Eagle-Owl. So, when a visitor from the USA wanted to see owls around Kuala Lumpur, this spot immediately came to mind.
We had to wait a while, as the eagle-owls only became active after 9 pm. In the darkness, we could barely see the birds perched across the canal, and they were much too far away for good looks. But, with the help of call playback, one bird came by to our side, and perched right above us. Amazing!
Then, just as we were packing up to leave, the Spotted Wood-Owls started calling. Again, a brief call playback was used and they responded by perching at the same spot the eagle-owl was a few minutes earlier.
Moreover, we also saw a Buffy Fish-Owl (at a distance), Malaysian Eared Nightjars, Large-tailed Nightjars and a Reticulated Python that night. Needless to say, the visitor went back home very happy indeed.
3rd Place: Three owls in one night, Fraser’s Hill, September 2025
Fraser’s Hill is an excellent place for nocturnal jaunts, with the possibility of seeing many different species of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects in just one session. Thus, I always try to find time for night walks whenever I’m visiting the hill.
On this occasion, I was with a visiting friend from Australia, who was keen to use his thermal scope for a night walk in Fraser’s Hill. It was the first time I used one for night birding. It worked quite well, although admittedly it needed some getting used to.
But what stood out about this night was the three owls we saw during the session. The resident Brown Wood-Owl was at its usual spot, and that was good enough. But then two more species made for a truly memorable night.
Firstly, we stumbled upon a perched Collared Scops-Owl, at eye level right by the road. It was so unexpected that it took a while for my brain to process it. Then, we saw a Barred Eagle-Owl using the thermal scope. Another ‘whoa!’ moment as I marvelled at the thermal scope’s abilities to detect the bird which was almost fully hidden amongst the foliage. No way would we have seen the Barred Eagle-Owl by simple spotlighting.
The best part? The latter two species were completely unexpected, as they usually inhabit lower elevations. A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one!
Runner-up: Oriental Bay-Owl, Krabi, April 2025
The Oriental Bay-Owl has been a nemesis species for me. I’ve heard it multiple times in Malaysia, but never managed to see one. So, when a friend of mine from Europe invited me to join him for several birding sessions in Krabi to look for the owl (among others), it was an easy decision. Plus, I get to visit Krabi!
Even in Krabi, the Oriental Bay-Owl was tricky. We spent hours in a Malayan Pit-Viper infested forest trying to locate the owls, which were frustratingly uncooperative. They responded to call playback, but refused to show themselves well. For hours, all we got were ghostly glimpses as they flew across the trails. Even our guides were starting to give up.
Eventually, it was my friend who spotted it. There it was, perched silently on a slanting branch, like a small ghostly apparition. We got great views, and decent photos. After hours of frustration, finally seeing the owl felt very satisfying. A great lifer moment for me, and my visiting European friend.
Winner: Three Andaman endemic owls, Port Blair, January 2025
The Andaman Islands are well-known for their endemism, boasting 5 endemic nocturnal birds and 1 endemic owl subspecies. I was on a birding tour of the Andamans in January 2025 with 10 other friends. And on our last night on the island, I got three of these during what was possibly the easiest owling session I’ve ever had.
First up was a pair of Hume’s Boobooks. As soon as the sun set, the owls appeared as if on cue. And they showed themselves well, not bothered at all about the excited people looking at them.
Not long after the boobooks left, our guide showed us our next owl. It was the endemic subspecies of the Oriental Scops-Owl, also known as the Walden’s Scops-Owl. This bird was perched on an exposed wire, something I hardly ever see any Scops-Owls do. We saw at least 2 owls this way.
Last but not least was our main target, the elusive Andaman Scops-Owl. Barely 30 minutes after our last Oriental, we heard the Andaman Scops calling. And the owl was seen without much difficulty, just next to the road.
The best thing about these encounters was that we hardly used call playback at all. Our guide used playback 2-3 times, but since there was initially no response, he ceased and we just used our ears. Even when spotlighting the birds, he shone the light only for a few seconds, just long enough for photos. That way, we got our birds, and I felt the owls weren’t disturbed too much.
Conclusion
It wasn’t easy ranking this list, and there are more that didn’t make the cut. Nevertheless, the top 5 owl encounters listed above stood out, and undoubtedly will live long in memory.
As for 2026, well, it has been off to a great start. The year is barely 2 months old and I’ve already bagged 2 lifers – Jungle Owlet in India and at last the Oriental Bay-Owl in my home country (Malaysia lifer 😅). I’m looking forward to what the rest of the year will bring.
Happy owling!