Verreaux's Eagle-owl
A species of Horned Owls, Also known as Milky Eagle-owl Scientific name : Bubo lacteus Genus : Horned Owls
Verreaux's Eagle-owl, A species of Horned Owls
Also known as:
Milky Eagle-owl
Botanical name: Bubo lacteus
Genus: Horned Owls
Content
Description General Info
Photo By frederic.salein , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
Despite the alternate common name of giant eagle-owl, the Verreaux's eagle-owl is not the largest owl or eagle-owl in the world. It is, however, a very large and powerful owl species. This species is both the largest owl found in Africa and the world's largest owl to occur in the tropics. Among all the world's owls, it is fourth heaviest living owl, after Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni), the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) and the tawny fish owl (Bubo flavipes), and in addition, the fourth longest living owl (measured from the bill to the tip of the tail), after the great gray (Strix nebulosa), Blakiston's fish and Eurasian eagle-owls. Based on body mass and wing chord length, Verreaux's eagle-owl is about the same size as "medium-sized" races of Eurasian eagle-owl, such as those from Central Asian steppe (B. b. turcomanus) and the Himalayas (B. b. hemachalana), slightly smaller than most northern Eurasian races, considerably smaller than Siberian and Russian eagle-owls, and somewhat larger than the smallest Eurasian eagle-owl subspecies, such as those from the Iberian Peninsula (B. b. hispanus) and the Middle East (B. b. omissus or nikolskii). Verreaux's eagle-owl ranges from 58 to 66 cm (23 to 26 in) in total length. This species has been reported as having an average wingspan of 140 cm (4 ft 7 in), but Mikkola referenced this as the wingspan of a smaller male. The largest known wingspan from a wild female measured nearly 164 cm (5 ft 5 in). While female owls are almost always larger than males, Verreaux's eagle-owl stands out as one of the most sexually dimorphic living owl species, some studies showing the female can average 35% heavier than the male. In comparison, the females of the nominate subspecies of Eurasian eagle-owls and great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) are reported to average approximately 20% and 25% heavier than the males, respectively. The full range of reported body mass in the species ranges from 1,615 to 2,000 g (3.560 to 4.409 lb) in males against a body mass of 2,475–3,150 g (5.456–6.945 lb) in females. In one study, 4 males were found to have averaged 1,704 g (3.757 lb) while 6 females averaged 2,625 g (5.787 lb). Another study found 5 males to have averaged approximately 1,700 g (3.7 lb) while five females averaged 2,300 g (5.1 lb). Unusually large sizes have been claimed in captivity with claims that specimens measuring up to 75 cm (30 in) in length and 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) in wingspan but these are unverified and possibly misreported as these figures match the largest Eurasian eagle-owls. Males heavier than any in the wild have been verified in captivity to weigh up to 2,200 g (4.9 lb). Among standard measurements, the female is reported to measure from 447 to 490 mm (17.6 to 19.3 in), averaging 465 mm (18.3 in), in wing chord, 230 to 273 mm (9.1 to 10.7 in) in the tail, while the same measurements in the male are from 420 to 490 mm (17 to 19 in), averaging 448 mm (17.6 in), and from 220 to 275 mm (8.7 to 10.8 in) in tail length. In both sexes, the tarsus has measured 73 to 86 mm (2.9 to 3.4 in) and the bill (in a small sample) 51 to 54 mm (2.0 to 2.1 in). Based on wing chord size compared to body mass and other linear dimensions, the Verreaux's eagle-owl average somewhat larger in the size of its wings relative to its body size than most other eagle-owls, excluding the Asian fish owls which are also seemingly relatively long-winged. Overall, Verreaux's eagle-owl are a fairly uniform and somewhat pale gray, with light and fine brownish vermiculations on the underside. The back is more solidly light brown with white spots on the shoulder. The oval facial disc is paler, sometimes ranging into a whitish color, than the rest of the front side of the bird with strong black borders bracketing either side. One other feature that immediately distinguished adult Verreaux's eagle-owls in good light are its pink eyelids. The ecological purpose of their colorful eyelids are not known, however Brown (1965) opined that they replace the colorful yellow to orange eyes of eagle-owls in breeding and territorial displays, since they were very conspicuous in displaying males. Their eyes are dark-brown in color and like all eagle-owls, they have ear-tufts. The ear tufts are blunter and smaller relative to those of other African eagle-owls. The ear-tufts of this species being relatively subtle of this species can be missed in the field especially if they are held lax. In appearance, they are quite easily distinguished if seen well. They are much bigger and bulkier than most other co-occurring owls. The only eagle-owl species in range that approaches its size is the Shelley's eagle-owl (Bubo shelleyi), which may (but is not confirmed to) co-exist with the Verreaux's in northern Cameroon and the southern sliver of the Central African Republic most likely in forest edge and mosaics, but that species is a much darker sooty colour overall with broad black bands on the underside. Shelley's eagle-owl also has considerable different habitat preferences, preferring deep, primary forests, and is much more rarely observed in the wild. The next largest eagle-owl in sub-Saharan Africa is the cape eagle-owl (Bubo capensis). The individual home ranges, if not habitats, of the Verreaux's and cape eagle-owls may abut in nearly every part of the latter distribution. Even in its largest race (Mackinder's eagle-owl, B. c. mackinderi) the cape eagle-owl is around 30% lighter in body mass on average than the Verreaux's eagle-owl, not to mention it being markedly different in almost all outward characteristics. Pel's fishing owl (Scotopelia peli), which occurs in west, central and inland southern Africa and may co-exist with the Verreaux's eagle-owl in much of its range (despite favoring wetland and riparian zones surrounded by wooded areas), can attain similar sizes as the Verreaux's eagle-owl but is dramatically different in color (a rather brighter rufous-cinnamon hue) and lacks ear tufts. In combination, the characteristics of their pink eyelids, dark eyes, relatively uniform plumage and extremely large size render the Verreaux's eagle-owl as nearly unmistakable. 
Size
65 cm
Colors
Brown
Black
Bronze
Gray
White
Life Expectancy
12 years
Feeding Habits
Verreaux's Eagle-owl are apex predators, hunting from perches or on the wing, targeting prey in varied environments. Opportunistic feeders, they consume over 100 prey species, ranging from insects to ungulates, with mammals comprising 56% of their diet, showing no single prey preference.
Habitat
Verreaux's eagle-owl is found through most of sub-Saharan Africa, though it is absent from most of the deep rainforests. The species is found at the highest densities in eastern and southern Africa. As this species avoids primary forests, it is found very spottily in west Africa. They reach their western distribution in The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Eastward from those countries, the species is distributed in a narrow transitional zone between the Sahara and rainforests to all the way south to the Central African Republic. Seemingly isolated populations occur in central Nigeria and central Mali. In south-western Africa, they range up to as far north as the southern parts of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo down to most of Namibia (excluding the coastal regions) and northern South Africa. In east Africa their distribution is more or less continuous from southern Sudan, Eritrea and inland Somalia down to South Africa as far as the region of the city of Durban. This species inhabit mainly savanna with scattered trees and thorny vegetation. Verreaux's eagle-owls mainly inhabit rather dry regions, some bordering into arid areas such as semi-desert. In central Mali, for example, near the extreme northwestern limit of the species range, the habitat that hosts these owls averages less than 55 cm (22 in) of rainfall annually. They also range into riverine forest adjacent to savanna and small, semi-open woodland surrounded by open country, though they are less likely to inhabit heavily wooded habitats. South African eagle-owls are not infrequent found around floodplains and marshes with floodplains may provide the primary nesting habitat in some areas. In Uganda, they are largely associated with riparian woodlands. Verreaux's eagle-owl may live at nearly all elevations, from sea level to near the snow line, at around 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in elevation, in some central African slopes such as the Eastern Rift mountains. However, in general, they only sporadically inhabit rocky areas and so are generally very scarce in mountainous regions. The bushveld of southern Africa is near ideal habitat for Verreaux's eagle-owl and the species may be found at near peak numbers here. The species was historically rare to absent from the Kalahari desert which makes up the heart of South Africa, but the introduction by man of invasive trees like conifers, eucalyptus and acacias, irrigation areas and prey species closely tied to man has allowed them to spottily occupy this region.
Dite type
Carnivorous
General Info
Behavior
Verreaux's eagle-owls are nocturnal birds and roost by day in trees, with large, shaded horizontal branches of tall, old trees being preferred. In Kenya, the most often used perch trees were Croton megalocarpus and invasive Eucalyptus. Elsewhere, Acacia trees may be used habitually. Despite normally choosing dense foliage to rest in, sometimes they may sit wherever their hunting path ends from the prior night, including relatively exposed perches. They reportedly will sleep rather lightly and will awaken very quickly to defend themselves from attack in daylight hours. Family groups consisting of breeding pairs and their offspring frequently roost together and may engage in allopreening during this time. Reportedly some family groups include eagle-owls that had hatched up to three years prior, which if accurate is exceptional for any type of owl species. During extremely hot days, this species may flutter its throat for cooling purposes and has been known to bathe in rain and shallow water during extreme heat in the middle of the afternoon but usually drinks when possible during nighttime. Each breeding pair of Verreaux's eagle-owl defends a territory and these may be extremely large, ranging in size up to 7,000 ha (17,000 acres).
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Owls Family
True owls Genus
Horned Owls Species
Verreaux's Eagle-owl 
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