Spotted eagle-owl

Description:

The Spotted Eagle-Owl, also known as the African Eagle Owl is a medium-sized species of owl. Size: Length 40-45cm. Wing length males 290-323mm, females 14-360mm. Weight up to 850g.

Habitat:

This beautiful owl was seen very close to Lower Sabie two hours after dawn. It sat very close to the main road. The biome in the area are tree savanna/subtropical dry forest This spot was at the beguinning of the dry season.

Notes:

Males claim territories by regular singing. The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground, between rocks, in a sheltered site on a cliff ledge, in a hollow tree or an abandoned platform nest of a large bird. They will also sometimes use holes in walls of buildings. Ground nests may be in grass, under a bush, on a steep slope or on an earth bank. The same site may be used for several years.