The Wildebeest's guide to South Africa

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Afrikaans name: Gevlekte ooruil

Spotted Eagle Owl

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Photo © Steven Herbert

Bubo africanus

The Spotted Eagle-Owl is a common bird in South Africa and may be found in both the countryside and built-up areas.

It can be up to 50 cm in length and weigh up to 850 grams. The wingspan may reach 1.4 metres. Male and female have the same colouration.

The Spotted Eagle-Owl feeds on a variety of different foods including small mammals and birds, insects, frogs and reptiles.

Pairs mate for life. They don't put any effort into making a nest and will just lay their eggs on the ground, rocky ledge or even a building. Between 2 and 4 eggs are laid.

References and further reading

A Delight of Owls - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1984 - Page: 90

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 159

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 121

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 121

African Birds of Prey - Author: Leslie Brown - Published: 1970 - Page: 160

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 87

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 149

Birds of Prey - A Kinship - Author: H. Von Michaelis - Published: 1987 - Page: 80

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1985 - Page: 273

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 108

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 48

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 125

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 70

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 133

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 42

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 77

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 110

Garden Birds in South Africa - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2017 - Page: 68

Gardening with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1988 - Page: 60

Geoff Lockwoods Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Geoff Lockwood - Published: 0 - Page: 24

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 164

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 410

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 58

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 220

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 220

Newmans Garden Birds - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1991 - Page: 44

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 346

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 27

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 195

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 252

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 263

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 350

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 347

Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands - Author: Alan and Meg Kemp - Published: 1998 - Page: 256

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 234

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 244

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 21

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 159

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 26

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 149

The Living Deserts of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Darry Lovegrove - Published: 2021 - Page: 132

The Owls of Southern Africa - Author: Alan Kemp and Simon Calburn - Published: 1987 - Page: 130

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 50

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 46

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 114

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 51

BirdLife South Africa


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List of South African Birds

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