Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus)

Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus)

Photo@Michael Sammut

Spotted Eagle-Owl is medium to large owl with prominent ear tufts. Upper-parts dusky brown with pale spots, under-parts whitish and finely barred. Facial disk whitish to pale ochre. A more rufous morph exists in more arid areas.It very similar to Greyish Eagle-Owl, only that has bright-yellow eyes, and in Kenya is mostly found in the southern part of the equator. It prefers Savannah, rocky outcrops, scrub, open and semi-open woodland, semi-deserts.

Birding hotspot where this species can be recorded include;Amboseli, Tsavo West and East National Park, Meru, Kitui, Maasai Mara and the greater area of Lake Victoria.

February 2, 2012: Greyish Eagle Owl (Bubo cenerascens)

This Greyish Eagle Owl was formerly classed as a race of Spotted Eagle Owl, with the latter found in the southern part of the equator , while former is located in northern part of the equator, this is as far as my Kenyan distribution knowledge is regarding this species.

It is a medium to large greyish (grayish) brown owl with dark eyes. Finely vermiculated above and densely so below with barring.

Greyish Eagle Owl, Photo @ Tony Crocetta

All my records of this species has been from Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria National Reserve and  Kerio Valley. I have been informed of records from Samburu and Meru too.

 

Stay tuned as I return later next week from a tour and will be preparing a tour report, new photos, bird songs and much more!

 

– Joe,

have a happy birding week