Name
African wood owl - Strix woodfordii
African Wood Owl Appearance
The African wood owl is a medium sized owl at 33 cm. The wood owl has a typical owl like rounded head and facial disk, with large dark eyes and white eyebrows.
They have rich brown plumage with pale underparts and a white and brown barred belly.
The colour of this owl’s plumage varies greatly across their range, from rufous to rufous-brown.
The bill and cere are yellow and the legs are feathered to the toes, with pale brown barred plumage. This owl does not have ear tuffs.
Diet
The African wood owl does most of its hunting from a perch, swooping down on to its prey on the ground, followed by the hawking of insects and bats. This owl feeds mostly on insects, but will also take reptiles, small birds, frogs and small rodents.
African Wood Owl Breeding
African wood owls are monogamous and territorial. The wood owl nests in a natural hole in a tree. Normally two eggs are laid and they are incubated by the female, while being fed by the male. The eggs are incubated for around 30 days. The chicks will leave the nest at around 25 days, but at this stage, they are unable to fly and remain in dense cover. For the next 20 days, they are fed by both parents. The chicks become fully independent around 4 months later.
African Wood Owl Behaviour
African wood owls are nocturnal and roost in dense cover or high in trees during the day. They are only vocal at night. Adult wood owls have been observed feigning injury to distract prey away from their nest.
Threats
None
African Wood Owl Distribution and Habitat
African wood owls are the most common owl in the woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Their preferred habitats are dense woodland, riparian, evergreen and coastal forest. The African wood owl is found in a narrow band stretching from Cape Town, running along the coast, into the Kruger Park.