Strigiformes (Owls) contains five families and over 250 species. Owls of Tytonidae family have a heart-shaped facial disk completely encircling face with a longer and narrower skull than typical owls. The middle toe has a serrated comb on the claw. The legs are relatively long. The clavicles are separate and not fused to the sternum.

Strigidae (typical owls) have a rounder facial disk, a semicircle on each side. The legs are relatively short. The clavicles are fused to the sternum. There is no comb on the middle claw. Owls have an upright stance, hooked bill, and sharp talons with a reversible outer toe. The eyes are forward-facing and virtually fixed with a flexible neck. They also have large external ear openings and acute hearing. The plumage is usually soft and fluffy allowing for silent flight. The plumage is generally cryptic to allow for camouflage during diurnal (daytime) roosting. Owls are nocturnal (night) predators. Owls feed mainly on small mammals but also take fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. These raptors regurgitate indigestible parts of their diet in the form of pellets. The number of eggs may vary with prey availability. Owls are monogamous.

Family: Strigidae

Boreal Owl  Aegolius funereus - vagrant
Short-eared Owl  Asio flammeus - winter visitor
Long-eared Owl  Asio otus - local resident & winter visitor
Forest Owlet  Athene blewitti - local resident, now extinct
Spotted Owlet  Athene brama - widespread resident
Little Owl  Athene noctua - local resident
Indian Eagle-Owl  Bubo bengalensis - widespread resident
Eurasian Eagle-Owl  Bubo bubo - local resident
Dusky Eagle-Owl  Bubo coromandus - widespread resident
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl  Bubo nipalensis - local resident
Collared Owlet  Glaucidium brodiei - local resident
Asian Barred Owlet  Glaucidium cuculoides - local resident
Jungle Owlet  Glaucidium radiatum - widespread resident
Tawny Fish-Owl  Ketupa flavipes - local resident
Buffy Fish-Owl  Ketupa ketupu - probable local resident
Brown Fish-Owl  Ketupa zeylonensis - widespread resident
Andaman Hawk-Owl  Ninox affinis - local resident
Brown Hawk-Owl  Ninox scutulata - widespread resident
Collared Scops-Owl  Otus bakkamoena - widespread resident
Andaman Scops-Owl  Otus balli - local resident
Pallid Scops-Owl  Otus brucei - vagrant
Eurasian Scops-Owl  Otus scops - winter visitor
Mountain Scops-Owl  Otus spilocephalus - local resident
Oriental Scops-Owl  Otus sunia - widespread resident
Tawny Owl  Strix aluco - local resident
Brown Wood-Owl  Strix leptogrammica - widespread resident
Mottled Wood-Owl  Strix ocellata - widespread resident

Family: Tytonidae

Oriental Bay-Owl  Phodilus badius - local resident
Barn Owl  Tyto alba - widespread resident
Eastern Grass-Owl  Tyto longimembris - local resident