African Barred Owlet

Facts about African Barred Owlet. The African Barred Owlet is a variety of owl that belongs to the Glaucidium genus of the Strigidae family. "Scientific name for African Barred Owlet is Glaucidium capense". The African Barred Owlet are largely found in Botswana, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Swaziland, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The African Barred Owlet prefers to live in forests and woodlands, and on the edges of the forest. African Barred Owlets can also be seen along rivers and in more open Savannah.

Features of African Barred Owlet

African Barred Owlet is a small-size owl, with a big size head. The African Barred Owlet appears with the body length that ranges from 8 inches to 8 13/32 inches (20 cm to 21 cm), with the wingspan of 16 inches (40 cm). The African Barred Owlet breed appears without ear tufts, and nape spots. There is some sexual dimorphism in their body size, such that usually female African Barred Owlets are bigger than the males, but there are no differences in plumage. Usually, female African Barred Owlets have a body weight between 93 grams and 139 grams, whereas the males have a body weight that ranges from 83 grams to 132 grams.

The African Barred Owlet differs in their features according to the place they live. The African Barred Owlets that hail from central and southern Africa will have finely barred with buff, grey-brown upperparts and white color eyebrow. The African Barred Owlets that hail from the eastern side of Africa will have fine buff bars on their nape and head, and habitually plain Rufous plumage whereas those from western Africa will have a profound Rufous - tan and unbarred back.

Generally, the face of the African Barred Owlet is finely barred. Scapulars and superior wing coverts boast white external webs with dark tips. Underparts demonstrate brown chest, delicately barred with buff, and the flanks and lower chest are white in color, marked with dark brown color feather tips. The underwing coverts, vent and legs are white in color, or occasionally with buff coverts. The flight and feathers on their tail are dark brown in color with superior rufous bars.

The African Barred Owlet breeds also differ in markings and colors, according to the regions they live. The head of the African Barred Owlets is circular in shape, and their Cere and hooked bill are greenish-yellow in color, with pale yellow color eyes and with dull yellow to pale tan feet. The Juvenile African Barred Owlet looks like adults, but it has an overall less marked plumage. Usually, the juvenile owlets attain their sexual maturity after one year of their birth.

The call of the African Barred Owlet is a sequence of numerous soft notes, rising in volume. These notes are habitually followed by hum whistles, with the next note higher pitched and other sequence at one pitch. Usually, the calls of these owlets are very similar across the entire range.

The African Barred Owlet is habitually perched within thick cover, but occasionally, it may come out during the daytime, and be seated in open place. It pursues its prey from a perch, diving on the prey, like small mammals or insects.

Diet of African Barred Owlet

The African Barred Owlet is partially diurnal, and it mostly feeds on insects, even though it also feeds on birds and small rodents.

Reproduction of African Barred Owlet

The African Barred Owlet nests in abandoned woodpecker hole, in tree holes, in natural cavity, or even occasionally, in a nest-box. At the time of incubation, the female owlet seldom leaves the nest. Both male and female owlets offer food to the juvenile very soon subsequent to hatching. In the premature stages, juveniles are nourished with insects, and later, they are fed with small mammals.

The average lifespan of the African Barred Owlet is 15 years.