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World Owl Trust - leading the World in Owl Conservation
Sunday 19th May, 2013

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Marsh Owl
Asio capensis
Marsh Owl - Asio capensis    Marsh Owl - Asio capensis Marsh Owl - Asio capensis
As of February 2005.
Description Medium sized owl with very small, seldom visible ear tufts. Uniform brown above, fine dusky vermiculations on lighter brown below. Paler facial disk with dark area around dark brown eyes.
Size 29-36cm, 225-375g
Range Patchy populations in NW Morocco, and West Africa, Ethiopia south to South Africa and Madagascar.
Habitat Open country including marshes, moors, savannah, montane grassland, avoiding extensive long grass, desert and forested areas.
Food Mainly small mammals but also birds and invertebrates.
Breeding February-October in N Africa, September-November in SW Africa. Nest on ground in shallow, unlined scrape amongst vegetation. 2-6 eggs are incubated fro 27-28 days. By about 2 weeks the young leave the nest area, but do not fledge for another 3 weeks.
Call A loud croaking "krrrrrrr" said to resemble the noise made by slowly bending and breaking a branch.
Status Not globally threatened, and nominate race widespread, however the other 2 races have a very limited range and small populations.
Comments Formerly thought to be very closely related to the Short-eared Owl, but its vocalisations suggest otherwise and DNA sampling is required to shed light on its taxonomy.
Races No additional information.
Asio.c.capensis Africa south of Sahara except W African rain forest
A.c.tingitanus NW Morocco
A.c.hova Madagascar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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