Fun African Grass Owl Facts For Kids

The African grass owl (Tyto capensis) is a fascinating species of owl. It is a member of the Tytonidae family, also known as the barn owl family.

It is quite similar to the barn owl in appearance. It ranges between 14.9-16.54 in (37.8-41.9 cm) in body length and 12.5-18.3 oz (355-520 g) in weight.

It possesses a characteristic heart-shaped facial disk of whitish-cream shade, along with a narrow, densely dark-spotted rim that is yellow-buff in color. It possesses a pale pink to the whitish-colored bill along with brown-black eyes.

There are small grey and white flecks all over its brownish-black wing coverts, lower back, and crown. Its secondary ad primary feathers are mainly pale gray-brown and have a yellow base with dark bars.

It possesses a short tail with central brown feathers that gradually grow faint towards the outer feathers.

There are four dark-colored bars on the tail. Its underparts are buff to white and possess dark blotches.

Its legs possess whitish-colored feathers with the lower legs and feet being pale yellow-gray in color and bristled. It is indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa.

It can be seen in central South Africa and southern Africa from western Cape north towards extreme southern locations like Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe where it inhabits moist and dry grassland, savannas, marshes, vleis,  fynbos, renosterveld, and acacia scrubs. Its diet comprises moles, cape-mole rats, hedgehogs, shrews, small birds, hares, large insects, and bats.

It has a conservation status of Least Concern as per the IUCN, but still faces the significant threat of habitat degradation. Keep reading to get to know more facts about its breeding, distribution, flight, habitat, and more!

If you enjoyed reading our fun African grass owl facts, you must check out our Australian masked owl and Rufous owl!

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African Grass Owl Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an African grass owl?

The African grass owl (Tyto capensis) is a species of owl. It is a species of the barn owl. It has two recognized subspecies, Tyto capensis capensis, which is found throughout the range except for the Cameroon Highlands, and Tyto capensis cameroonensis, which is seen only in Cameroon Highlands, south-west region of Cameroon, next to Beau city.

What class of animal does an African grass owl belong to?

The African grass owl (Tyto capensis) belongs to the class of Aves and the genus Tyto. It is a member of the Tytonidae family, also known as the barn owl family.

How many African grass owls are there in the world?

There are less than 5,000 African grass owls left in South Africa. It is regarded as a vulnerable species because it faces the loss of habitat due to grazing, plowing, burning, and draining.

Where does an African grass owl live?

African grass owls range through the wetlands of Sub-Saharan Africa and in the Cameroon Mountains at high altitudes. They can be seen in central South Africa and southern Africa from western Cape north towards extreme southern locations like Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. There are small populations in Cameroon, Uganda, and Ethiopian Highlands.

What is an African grass owl's habitat?

It is a nocturnal bird that hasn't been observed flying throughout the day. It is typically seen near ponds, marshes, and creeks. It roosts in tall grass, on the ground.

It has been observed to tread on the grass to shape into a domed platform to roost or nest. Interestingly, there are also runways present that connect multiple roosts to each other.

However, nesting on the ground makes their nests vulnerable to getting destroyed easily. It has been recorded up to an elevation of 10,500 ft (3200 m). Usually found inhabiting moist and dry grassland, savannas, marshes, vleis,  fynbos, renosterveld, and acacia scrub.

Who do African grass owls live with?

African grass owls are known to nest in small flocks or in pairs, with multiple roosts connected to each other through tunnels. They do not construct a nest.

Instead, they tread on the grass to create a pad. Pairs of owls of this species roost in small groups or in pairs. They show activity typically after sunset and forages at night.

How long does an African grass owl live?

It is believed that the lifespan of this owl is the same as that of the barn owl (Tyto alba). In the wild, the barn owl only lives for one to five years, whereas in captivity, it can live for 20-25 years.

How do they reproduce?

They are monogamous in nature. The pairs roost together in the domed structures of grass. The nest is defended by females as well as males.

The breeding site must have an ample supply of food. The breeding season of this owl is from December to August. They breed only once a year, typically in spring.

The female owl lays two to four eggs that are white in color. Their size is 1.6 in  (4.1 cm) by 1.2 in (3.2 cm).

Males feed the females throughout the incubation period which lasts for 32-42 days. The chicks attain sexual maturity at the age of one year. The young receive parental care from the female as well as the male parent.

The young stay with the female owls for the initial ten days while the male owls forage. The chicks become mobile at the age of five weeks and start flying at seven weeks. The chicks leave the nest at the age of ten weeks.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these owls as per the IUCN is Least Concern. They face rapid declines in their population due to habit loss because of urbanization and industrialization. Their nests also get destructed in grassland fire.  

African Grass Owl Fun Facts

What do African grass owls look like?

It ranges between (14.9-16.54 in (37.8-41.9 cm) in body length and 12.5-18.3 oz (355-520 g) in weight. It possesses a characteristic whitish-cream-colored facial disk that is of the heart shape, along with a narrow, densely dark-spotted rim that is yellow-buff in color.

It possesses a pale pink to the whitish-colored bill along with brown-black eyes. There are small grey and white flecks all over its brownish-black wing coverts, lower back, and crown.

Its secondary ad primary feathers are mainly pale gray-brown and possess yellow bases and dark bars. It possesses a short tail with four dark-colored bars and has central brown feathers that gradually grow faint towards the outer feathers.

Its underparts are buff to white and possess dark blotches. Its legs possess whitish-colored feathers with the lower legs and feet being pale yellow-gray in color and bristled.

How cute are they?

These owls are quite cute-looking, but can also be a tad creepy. Their owlets are especially very cute.

How do they communicate?

They use sound, sight, and touch to navigate during the dark hours at night. They communicate through double-clicking, sharp, calls as well as long phrases of single-clicking sounds. Their calls can be heard during their flights at night. Their call is similar to the barn owl's call. Their calls help them in hunting and navigating across their habitat effectively. 

How big is an African grass owl?

These owls range between (14.9-16.54 in (37.8-41.9 cm) in length and have a wingspan of 11.1-13.5 in (28.3-34.5 cm)! It is two times bigger than the summer tanager!

How fast can an African grass owl fly?

The speed of these owls has not been evaluated yet. However, we do know that they hunt in an erratic flight, near the ground.

How much does an African grass owl weigh?

They range between 12.5-18.3 oz (355-520 g) in weight.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The female is referred to as owl hen whereas the male is referred to as owl coco.

What would you call a baby African grass owl?

The young of these owls are referred to as chicks or owlets.

What do they eat?

They forage in the early morning or early evening hours. Their diet mainly comprises moles, cape-mole rats, hedgehogs, shrews, small birds, hares, large insects, and bats.

They have been observed to sit and wait for their prey. They hunt in an erratic flight, near the ground. After successfully locating their prey, they dive to the ground at the right time and pick the prey with their talons.

These owls are known to become prey for the African marsh harrier. However, they are threatened by humans significantly as human activities have an adverse effect on their habitat.

Are they dangerous?

African grass owls have no known harmful effects on humans.

Would they make a good pet?

They have little contact with humans due to their nocturnal nature. They are wild birds of prey and must not be kept as pets.

Did you know...

There are festivals thrown in honor of these owls to raise awareness about their decreasing population!

What kind of owls live in Africa?

Africa houses more than 30 owl species. Some of them are the western barn owl, sandy scops owl, spotted eagle owl, and Verreaux's Eagle-owl.

What eats an African grass owl?

It has been observed that this owl is preyed upon by the African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus), a renowned bird of prey.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Gunnison sage grouse surprising facts and duck facts for kids pages!

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable owl coloring pages!