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Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source ↗
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Witkoluil · Glaucidium perlatum
A tiny, fierce owl that is frequently active in daylight and bolder than its size suggests. It hunts insects, reptiles and small birds, and the two dark 'false eyes' on its nape help fend off the angry songbirds that mob it. Its rising, whistled call often gives it away.
Log your Pearl-spotted Owlet sighting — free →How to identify it
Tiny owl with no ear tufts and two black 'false eyes' on the back of the head; often active by day.
Listen for its call
A rising-then-falling run of whistles, 'tu-tu-tu-teee-teee-tew' - often by day.
Where to see it in Kruger
Woodland and bushveld park-wide, often calling and hunting in daylight from an exposed perch.
Did you know
The fake eye spots on the back of its head trick other birds into thinking it is always watching them.
Often confused with
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