Marsh Owl

Asio capensis

Other Names

  African Marsh Owl   Hibou du Cap   Kapohreule   Búho Moro   Kapuggla   Afrikaanse Velduil   Gufo del Capo

World: Africa - widely distributed S of the Congo Basin except in the very dry SW of the continent. N of the Congo Basin it occurs mostly in the E from Zaire throgh East Africa as far N as Ethiopia and southern Sudan.

Kenya: Found in open marshland and grassy areas mostly between 1300-2000m.

This is an opportunistic hunter with a varied diet which adopts equally varied hunting methods. It will use perches such as tree stumps or fence posts when they are available but is equally adept at quartering the ground at a height of a few metres or dropping abruptly on its prey or even pursuing prey on foot. Its diet includes a wide variety of mammals from very small voles to medium-sized animals like hares and even mustelids. It will also take bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates such as scorpions, locusts and beetles.

Marsh Owls are crepuscular or nocturnal birds although they may also hunt on very overcast days. The individual pictured above was hunting in Nairobi National Park on a cloudy day. It shows the ear tufts in the centre of its forehead very clearly but these are often inconspicuous and may even appear to be absent.