A marsh owl was spotted recently at Ingula. Fifi Meyer (Head of Ingula Visitors Centre) spotted this rare owl as it was flying close the the office in Braamhoek.
Luckily, Fifi had her camera and long lens with her, as she quickly snapped this rare and beautiful Marsch owl photo.
The marsh owl (Asio capensis) is a species of owl which is a mainly resident breeder in Africa and Madagascar.
An efficient hunter, the marsh owl soars silently in the air with steady wing-beats and short glides. As a generalist feeder, the marsh owl consumes a large variety of prey, including small mammals such as rodents and mustelids, birds, amphibians reptiles and large insects.
Active at night and during the day, the marsh owl uses its acute eyesight to spot prey, which is caught in large talons, before being taken to a hidden location and eaten.
The species’ name may suggest that it is restricted to marshes, but the marsh owl can be found within a multitude of habitats, ranging from estuarine marshes and mangroves, to sub-tropical grasslands, open savannas, inland wetlands and agricultural areas.
