In a potted plant stand on a balcony in Johannesburg, South Africa, this clutch of eagle owls is being reared by their parents.
The Spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus) is common in many parts of southern Africa. It can be found in many habitats but is most prolific in open scrub and low grassland. It has adapted to living near humans and is found in many towns and cities in southern Africa. In urban areas it roosts in buildings, trees and, as in this case, plant pots.
We here in North America are used to seeing hawks on our street lights - especially here in South West BC where we see lots of red-tailed hawks. The African Spotted Eagle Owl likes the street light standards in Southern Africa - so when you visit there, be prepared to see them.
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Thanks to our friends at Africam.com, we are now presenting their African Spotted Eagle Owl camera. This pair has nested in a potted plant stand due to pressures on their normal nesting habitat. I use "normal" in a loose fashion, since these owls are every bit as urbanized as our local population of Bald Eagles are here in Vancouver. They sit on the tops of lamp standards and nest in all manner of locations in the urban areas of Southern Africa.
Just prior to our setting things up here, one of the three chicks fell out of the pot stand and has been being looked after by the local wildlife rehabilitation center - similar to our local O.W.L. center here in the Vancouver area (where we have eagle nest cameras too.)
As of today, Monday October 18, this third chick is back in the nest pot.
Watch this fascinating camera (infrared during night - which is day-time here in North America) and see how the adults handle this re-introduction
