Unlike the "fish owls" that were also considered to be included in Ketupa, the barred and the spot-bellied species are not closely tied to riparian habitats and piscivorous eating habits.

[2] One female shot near Haputale in the Badulla District of Sri Lanka, where the owls are smaller than to the north, was found to have weighed 1.7 kg (3.7 lb).

[9] A large owl, presumed as an eagle-owl, recorded on the illegal wildlife trade from India purportedly weighed 3 kg (6.6 lb).

The throat and underparts are mainly pale fulvous in color with black and white horizontal stripes along the flanks of the body that become broad spots on the abdomen and undertail coverts.

Distinguishing the spot-bellied eagle-owl is relatively straightforward, since other Indian and southeast Asian eagle owls do not generally dwell in deep forests as does this species.

The brown fish owl (Ketupa zeylonensis), which is quite different in colouring if seen reasonably well, is slightly smaller linearly than the spot-bellied eagle-owl and is found in more wetland-based (and often somewhat more degraded) habitats.

It is usual for forest-dwelling owls (and many different kinds of birds) to have an extensive and complex range of vocalizations since vision is more limited than in open or semi-open habitats.

[4] However, the spot-bellied eagle-owl has relatively small ear openings, even for a member of the genus Bubo, suggesting that some territorial behaviour is carried out visually instead of auditorily.

They are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and peninsular Southeast Asia, reaching the southernmost limits of their range in Sri Lanka and 12 degrees north in southern Thailand.

Although often considered uncommon to somewhat rare, recent photographic evidence indicates that they are widely found in different parts of India and may simply avoid detection, so long as appropriate wooded habitat remains.

The bright whitish colouration, overlaid with brownish cross-bars, forming a brow over the eyes to the front of the ear-tufts is theorised to play a primary role in expression of behavioural intent.

There is no reason to assume that the spot-bellied eagle-owl does not also take a very large quantity of relatively small prey such as rodents until complete dietary studies are known.

[2][4] Due to being most widely reported as being chased and eaten by spot-bellied eagle-owls has led some authors to list their primary prey as pheasants.

[2][4] The spot-bellied eagle-owl pounces on gamebirds while they're asleep on their perches in trees or bamboo clumps, often killing them in seconds with their powerful talons.

[12] It also consumes an array of mammals, from small rodents to large prey such as apparent adults of golden jackals (Canis aureus), hares (Lepus ssp.

Additionally, they are considered a potential threat to toque monkeys (Macaca sinica), and one apparently caught an Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) from its tree roost.

[20][21][22] Due to the capture of diurnal prey such as giant squirrel, partial daytime foraging habits have been inferred for the spot-bellied eagle owl.

Alternately, they use abandoned stick nests made by other large birds, in many cases those previously built by eagles, vultures or kites.

Few further details are known of their breeding biology, including the brooding and fledging stages due to this species reportedly being very fierce and aggressive in defence of their nests.