Maldives is rich in marine diversity but poor in terrestrial diversity. There are only about 170 bird species recorded from the island. To my knowledge also short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)  is only species of owl found in Maldives.

List of birds of the Maldives

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a list of birds recorded in the Maldives. The small size and isolation of this Indian Ocean republic means that its avifauna is extremely restricted. Most of the species are characteristic of Eurasian migratory birds, only a few being typically associated with the Indian sub-continent.

Order

Family

Birds

Anseriformes

Anatidae

Northern shoveler, Anas clypeata

Northern pintail, Anas acuta

Garganey, Anas querquedula

Common teal, Anas crecca

Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca

Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula

Upupiformes

Upupidae

Hoopoe, Upupa epops

Coraciiformes

Coraciidae

Indian roller, Coracias benghalensis

Meropidae

European bee-eater, Merops apiaster

Cuculiformes

Cuculidae

Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus

Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopacea

Apodiformes

Apodidae

White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus

Common swift, Apus apus

Pallid swift, Apus pallidus

House swift, Apus affinis

Strigiformes

Strigidae

Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

Columbiformes

Columbidae

Rock pigeon, Columba livia

Turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur

Rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis

Gruiformes

Rallidae

White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus

Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea

Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus

Common coot, Fulica atra

Charadriiformes

Scolopacidae

Pintail snipe, Gallinago stenura

Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala

Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago

Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa

Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica

Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata

Common redshank, Tringa totanus

Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis

Greenshank, Tringa nebularia

Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola

Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus

Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos

Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres

Sanderling, Calidris alba

Little stint, Calidris minuta

Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii

Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta

Dunlin, Calidris alpina

Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea

Ruff, Philomachus pugnax

Recurvirostridae

Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus

Charadriidae

Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva

Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola

Ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula

Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius

Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus

Lesser sand plover, Charadrius mongolus

Greater sand plover, Charadrius leschenaultii

Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus

Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius

Dromadidae

Crab-plover, Dromas ardeola

Glareolidae

Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum

Laridae

White-eyed gull, Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus

Pallas's gull, Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus

Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans

Heuglin's gull, Larus heuglini

Sternidae

Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica

Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia

Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis

Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii

Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii

Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana

Common tern, Sterna hirundo

Little tern, Sternula albifrons

Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi

Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus

Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus

White-winged black tern, Chlidonias leucopterus

Brown noddy, Anous stolidus

White tern, Gygis alba

Accipitriiformes

Pandionidae

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Accipitridae

Oriental honey buzzard, Pernis ptilorhyncus

Marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus

Pallid harrier, Circus macrourus

Montague's harrier, Circus pygargus

Common buzzard, Buteo buteo

Falconiformes

Falconidae

Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni

Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus

Amur falcon, Falco amurensis

Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo

Phaethontiformes

Phaethontidae

White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus

Suliformes

Sulidae

Masked booby, Sula dactylatra

Brown booby, Sula leucogaster

Fregatidae

Great frigatebird, Fregata minor

Pelecaniformes

Pelecanidae

Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus

Ardeidae

Little egret, Egretta garzetta

Grey heron, Ardea cinerea

Purple heron, Ardea purpurea

Eastern great egret, Ardea modesta

Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis

Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii

Striated heron, Butorides striatus

Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis

Cinnamon bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus

Black bittern, Dupetor flavicollis

Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris

Threskiornithidae

Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus

Procellariiformes

Procellariidae

Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii

Streaked shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas

Wedge-tailed shearwater, Puffinus pacificus

Flesh-footed shearwater, Puffinus carneipes

Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni

Hydrobatidae

Wilson's petrel, Oceanites oceanicus

White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina

Passeriformes

Laniidae

Isabelline shrike, Lanius isabellinus

Brown shrike, Lanius cristatus

Corvidae

House crow, Corvus splendens

Hirundinidae

Sand martin, Riparia riparia

Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica

Common house martin, Delichon urbica

Passeridae

House sparrow, Passer domesticus

Motacillidae

Yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava

Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea

Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis

Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus

Sturnidae

Common myna, Acridotheres tristis

References[edit]

Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists - Martin Collinson, British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306-323

 Some interesting references as follows:

http://www.livelearn.org/sites/default/files/docs/Bird%20guide%20FINAL.pdf

http://orientalbirdclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ash-Maldives.pdf

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=List%20of%20birds%20of%20the%20Maldives

Avibase- The world bird database might help:

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=MV&list=howardmoore

Protected birds of Maldives

http://www.broffice.gov.mv/en/index.php/cdownloads/30-posters-general/31-protected-birds-of-the-maldives 

Click on Poster PDF.  

If there are only one species of owl, it should be added to the list of protected birds in Maldives- i.e the poster list given-So what is the owl population dynamic there? 

It is already on the IUCN list of endangered species -

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22689531/0

For more details about your question, you can visit the following link:

http://www.livelearn.org/sites/default/files/docs/Bird%20guide%20FINAL.pdf

Thank you all for your response