Bubo cinerascens
The Greyish Eagle-Owl (Bubo cinerascens) is a captivating medium-sized owl inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Measuring 40-45 cm (16-18 inches) in length with a wingspan of approximately 90-110 cm (35-43 inches) and weighing 500-800 grams (1.1-1.8 lbs), this powerful raptor sports a distinctive greyish-brown plumage, finely vermiculated with darker streaking across its underparts. Its most striking features are the prominent ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and a pale ...
This owl primarily inhabits dry savannas, thorny scrublands, rocky hillsides, and semi-deserts, often preferring areas with scattered trees or acacias for roosting and nesting, typically found at elevations ranging from sea level up to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet).
Their diet primarily consists of small mammals (rodents, shrews, bats), small birds, reptiles (snakes, lizards), and large insects, captured by swooping from a perch or by low flight.
Greyish Eagle-Owls are strictly nocturnal, emerging at dusk to hunt and returning to dense foliage, rock crevices, or abandoned buildings to roost during the day. Their primary foraging strategy is a classic sit-and-wait ambush, perching silently on a vantage point before swooping down on unsuspe...
The Greyish Eagle-Owl's extensive range spans the Sahel region and parts of East Africa, primarily across sub-Saharan Africa. It is a resident species found from Senegal and Mauritania eastward through Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia. Its distribution extends south into p...
Least Concern
- The Greyish Eagle-Owl's bright yellow eyes are fixed in their sockets, meaning the owl must turn its entire head almost 270 degrees to see. - Despite its name, some taxonomists consider it a subspecies of the Spotted Eagle-Owl or Pharoah Eagle-Owl, highlighting its close evolutionary relationsh...