Bird of the week – African wood owl
The Zulu name for the male is uMabhengwana and the female is uNobathekeli. In Afrikaans die bosuil.
A fairly common resident confined to the extreme south, east and north east of South Africa.
Usually in pairs they are strictly nocturnal. They like evergreen and riverine forests, dense woodland, coastal bush and pine plantations. Perching in trees by day, their good camouflage helps them be easily overlooked, being fairly tame they flush reluctantly.
These owls feed on insects, rodents, frogs, birds and centipedes. They hunt by dropping onto prey from a perch and may hawk insects in flight. A lovely syncopated hooting phrase by the male whoo hu, whoo hu is answered by the female with a higher whoo. They may often answer each other in duet.
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Breeding takes place from July to October. The nest is the floor of a natural hole in the base of a tree or sometimes under a log. Two white eggs are laid with the incubation being 31 days and nestling period 30 to 37 days. They are unable to fly for several days and remain near the nest for 120 days being dependent on food from their parents.
The Zulu name for the male is uMabhengwana and the female is uNobathekeli. In Afrikaans die bosuil.
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