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Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source ↗
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Gevlekte Ooruil · Bubo africanus
The most common large owl in Kruger, a grey, mottled bird with prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes. It hunts a wide range of prey from insects and rodents to birds and reptiles, and is often spotted at night perched on roadside poles, fences and rocky outcrops while hunting.
Log your Spotted Eagle-Owl sighting — free →How to identify it
Large grey owl with ear tufts and yellow eyes; smaller and greyer than Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, which has pink eyelids and dark eyes.
Listen for its call
A gentle 'hu-hooo' hoot - the classic owl sound of the bushveld.
Where to see it in Kruger
Common park-wide in all habitats, frequently perched on poles, signs and rocks after dark.
Did you know
It is often seen on roadside poles at night, where its big eyes glow in car headlights.
Often confused with
See it? Log it — free.
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