“A wise old owl sat on an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”
"Scops Owl" watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - Maree©
{Otus senegalensis}
The African Scops Owl is a common, sometimes abundant, resident of Savannah woodland in South Africa. Scops Owls feed mostly on insects and spiders and breed in a tree cavity.
The Scops Owl is fully nocturnal and mostly insectivorous. It is a bird of scrub and bush territory, and often uses ground nest sites for breeding.
It is a small owl of only about 17cm and lays its 4-6 eggs in a tree cavity from April - June. Incubation about 27 days. Young fledge by about 30 days.
Its call is a soft croaking, frog-like "prrrup-prrrup".
Detail of Scops Owl feet
Detail of Scops Owl face
He is absolutely beautiful Maree! Owls are special, aren't they!
ReplyDeleteThank you Liz, and I also think they are very special! I have a pair of Eagle Owls living on our property and we often have great chats!
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