Wood+Owls

African wood owls are common medium-sized nocturnal owls with very dark eyes, no ear tufts, and a brown and white striped belly. It has brown plumage all over with some great variations in the shade of color and pattern. The underparts of feathers are paler than the outside layer. These birds are 30-36cm long and weigh between 240 and 350 grams. There are four sub-species of the African wood owl, but they have only minor differences in appearance and size. Wood owls do not live in groups; they simply come and go as they please. The one exception to this is when mating season begins and the eggs need to incubate. Then, the female keeps the eggs warm for about 31 days while the male finds food and brings it to the female. One to three eggs are produced and kept in a tree hole nest. Five weeks after hatching, the young owls can leave the nest and another two weeks later, they are ready to fly. The young will remain with its parents for about four months before finally leaving the nest. When mating, both the male and females have unique call. The male has a series of clear hoots and the female replies in a higher pitched tone. African wood owls are found from Senegal to Ethiopia in the north and Angola, Botswana, Mozambique in the south. They are also found along the southern and eastern coasts of South Africa. Wood owls live in forests and woodland areas, but are found in plantations as well. These owls are nocturnal, so they hunt during the night. Their main prey includes arthropods, small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Conservation is not an issue for African wood owls and they are listed as of least concern. However, they are likely to be eventually impacted by deforestation.