Southern+White-Faced+Owl

The southern white-faced owl is native to the southern half of Africa. It used to be classified as a subspecies of the northern white-faced owl but recently has been seen as a separate species. It is about 8 ½ to 11 inches long and weighs around 185–220 grams. The upper body is gray with dark streaks and there are white spots on the back feathers. The underparts are white-gray with darker streaks. The face is white with a black outlining and black surrounds their deep orange eyes. They have short "ears" with black tips. Younger birds have a grayish face. The call is a series of fast, bubbling hoots, and is used at night and is often repeated. It is usually seen alone or in pairs, not groups or flocks. It hunts for large invertebrates and some small mammals, birds and reptiles. The two to three eggs produced are usually laid in an old nest of another bird. The young birds leave the nest about a month after hatching.