The Cape Bird Club

Grass Owls nesting in the Southwestern Cape  by Pieter van Oudtshoorn

photograph by Basil Boer

Two Grass Owls

On the 27 June 2006, whilst birding on a farm in the Bredasdorp area, I flushed a Grass Owl to my astonishment. Everything fitted – the dark back, the perfect habitat, the fact that it dropped back into the grass after about 15 meters. I immediately backed off and returned on 20 July to the same area and this time two Grass Owls were found, so I thought that was the end of the story.

Four months later I went back to see if I could find some trace of the birds. I did find quite a few pellets in the surrounding grass as proof that they were still around. After a thorough search of the original site with no success, I tried another area about half a kilometer away and was rewarded with 2 birds. The next day 2 December on returning I found a nest with four hissing young Grass Owls almost ready to leave the nest. Five days later three of the youngsters had left and on the 8 December all had flown the nest. Counting back the days from when I found the chicks, I believe the eggs were laid sometime in September.

We were very careful not to disturb them and their habitat so I am sure they will breed again this year. I only intend going back to the site towards September so as not to be a disruption and will report back on any activity.