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World Owl Trust

Saturday May 10th, 2008


Vermiculated Eagle Owl
Bubo cinerascens
Click on small image to view larger one   Bubo cinerascens
As of February 2005.
Description Medium to large greyish (grayish) brown owl with dark eyes. Finely vermiculated above and densely so below with barring. Birds from Chad may represent a pale morph.
Size 43cm, 500g
Range Sub-Saharan Africa to the equator.
Habitat Savannah, mountain slopes, semi-desert, hillsides and thorn scrub.
Food Invertebrates, small mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs.
Breeding November to May in most areas. 2-3 eggs in sheltered scrape on the ground.
Call Calls have not been differentiated from B.africanus, although song recorded in Mali is described as disyllabic “kuo-wooh” and is different from that of B.africanus. However both species have been observed calling to each other in captivity.
Status Not globally threatened, not common in most of its range with a few exceptions.
Comments Also known as the Greyish (Grayish) Eagle Owl or by its old name the Abyssinian Eagle Owl this bird was formerly classed as a race of B.africanus, but it is morphologically distinct and there is no evidence of interbreeding where ranges overlap. The WORLD OWL TRUST is currently collecting samples for DNA analysis, and studying the vocalisations of captives birds of both species to elucidate the taxonomy of these owls.
Races Monotypic.
No additional races

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The World Owl Trust is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). The Trust relies on a dedicated membership, visitors, donations and legacies.
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