© Zoo Outreach Organisation; www.zoosprint.org Manuscript 1425; Received 26 August 2005; Finally accepted 01 April 2006; Date of publication 21 April 2006 2231 May 2006 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) The Genus Bubo contains some of the world’s largest species of owls, most, if not all of which, are tertiary consumers and excellent indicators of ecosystems they inhabit. Authorities differ in opinion about the number of species in the Genus which varies from 16 (http://owlpages.com/species/Default.htm; del Hoyo et al., 1999) to 18 (http://www.omne-vivum.com/b/ 3399.htm). Of all these, the prey spectrum and dynamics of only two (both Northern Hemisphere species) have been studied in detail viz., the Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (Bayle et al., 1987; Blondel & Badan, 1976; Choussy, 1971; Donazar, 1987; Herrera & Hiraldo, 1976; Martinez et al., 1992; Martinez, 2003, Mysterud & Dunker, 1982; Orsini, 1985; Penteriani et al., 2002; Simeonov et al., 1998; Uttendorfer, 1939, 1952) and the American Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus (Adamcik et al., 1978; Austing & Holt, 1966; Houston & Francis, 1995; McInvaille & Keith, 1974; Rohner, 1995, 1996, 1997; Rohner & Hunter, 1996; Rohner & Smith, 1996). Like most others of its genus, the Indian Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis (also known as the Indian Great Horned Owl, Bengal Eagle Owl, Rock Horned Owl and Rock Eagle Owl, and till recently considered a subspecies of Bubo bubo) has received scant attention. A preliminary report on the prey of the species exists (Ramanujam, 2001), but this left a lot to be desired as, in addition to other shortcomings, it relied fundamentally on pellet analysis of just two unconnected subjects and no effort was made to specifically identify the rodent prey base. All other literature concerning the diet of the species are short notes of casual observations (Ali, 1969, 1996; Ali & Ripley, 1987; Barnes, 1981; Dharmakumarasinhji, 1954; Grewal, 1995; Jerdon, 1862; Whistler, 1986). This report aims to identify the prey spectrum of Bubo bengalensis, categorise components of prey consumed (and in the process identify the main food resources), review fluctuations in prey occurence and corelate the primary prey base to climatic factors and plant phenology of the region.