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World Owl Trust - leading the World in Owl Conservation
Monday March 15th, 2010


Pearl-spotted Owlet
Glaucidium perlatum
Click on small image to view larger one   Glaucidium perlatum licua
As of February 2005.
Description Very small, “earless” owl. Cinnamon brown head with off-white facial disk. Upper-parts brown with numerous dusky rimmed white spots. Under-parts white streaked with brown. Eyes are yellow.
Size 17-20cm, 68-147g
Range Africa south of the Sahara except desert and rain forest regions.
Habitat Open savannah and semi open woodland, avoids areas with long grass, deserts and heavy forest.
Food Mainly invertebrates, but powerful talons allow it to catch birds up to the size of large weavers, small mammals and reptiles.
Breeding Breeds August-November, laying 2-4 eggs in tree cavity, often made by woodpeckers or barbets. Incubation lasts 29 days. Young fledge at 31 days and become independent a few weeks later.
Call Series of drawn out, flute like whistles rising in pitch and volume.
Status Not globally threatened, locally common.
Comments Previously thought to be conspecific with G. passerinum, but DNA evidence shows that they are clearly separated.
Races Previously described races of diurnum and kilimense are included in licua.
G.p.perlatum From Senegambia through Mali and Chad to W Sudan
G.p.licua E Sudan and Ethiopia down to N South Africa and Namibia

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