This small nocturnal owl usually hides in a tree cavity during the day. Polymorphic and highly variable; based on range this is presumably the small, pale subspecies O. b. gangeticus. Formerly lumped with the Collared and Oriental Scops-Owls but now usually separated based on their different vocalizations. Their taxonomy remains inconsistent and controversial. Howard & Moore and Oriental Bird Club lump them. Spelling varies with IOC leaving out the hyphen. Here I follow Clements/eBird. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.
References:
Ali, S & SD Ripley (1987). Compact Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press.
Holt, D.W., Berkley, R., Deppe, C., Enríquez Rocha, P., Petersen, J.L., Rangel Salazar, J.L., Segars, K.P. & Wood, K.L. (2016). Indian Scops-owl (Otus bakkamoena). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
Rasmussen & Anderton. 2012. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Lynx Edicions.