Bird Fact #1 - Owls of Tintswalo

Owls always form an interesting and exciting part of any birding safari. Here at Tintswalo Safari Lodge we are blessed with incredible owl sightings, from the smallest to the largest in Africa. Around the lodge we often have an African Barred Owlet, one of the smallest, serenading us with its soft purring call. In the same stretch of riverine forest, the Verreaux’s Eagle owl, the largest, often hoots during morning tea.

In the last month alone we have identified at least 6 species
·         Pearl-spotted Owlet
·         African Scops-Owl
·         African Barred Owlet
·         Southern White-Faced Owl
·         Marsh Owl
·         Verreaux’s  Eagle Owl

Owls have some incredible adaptations allowing them to take advantage of their niche as nocturnal hunters. They can turn their heads almost a full 360 degrees and are able to swoop down silently to unsuspecting prey. The two most important senses however are sight and hearing.

Owls have eyes that are larger and bulge more than their daytime counterparts. Their bulging eyes result in a wider field of vision and the size allows more light to enter the eyes enabling to see at night. A second adaptation to the eye is a reflective layer of crystals just behind the retina, called the Tapetum Lucidum. This reflects light back through the receptor cells so that the brain can better refine the image.

More important than sight is hearing. The face is slightly concave, almost like a radar. Sound is captured by the face and delivered to the actual ears. One ear is slightly higher than the other which enables them to receive two different sound signatures and triangulate the source of the sound accurately. Owls are often seen bobbing their heads up and down. This is the triangulating process. This adaptation acts as “one very large ear” and allows owls to successfully hunt in almost complete darkness.

African Scops Owl (Scientific Name: Otus senegalensis)

Reference: Carnaby, T. 2008. Beat about the Bush: Birds.Page 471 – 473. Melville: Jacana Media