Spectacled Owl

A couple of days ago I posted a picture of a Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata). A common bird of prey that hunts during the night. Since the reactions and comments were so overwhelming, I thought that it was time to tell a bit more about it.


The first time that I spotted this bird was on August 17, 2011. It was calling continuously and since I couldn't recognize the sound I went outside to look where it came from ...... and there it was: a young Spectacled Owl

A young Spectacled Owl, here is where we first met in 2011.

A small white bundle 'wearing' a black mask. Years went by and the little fellow grew into a handsome big fellow. Since the first day we 'met' it never left the area. Well, actually it made the area near the lodge also part of its territory. And since he pays us a visit on a regular basis, we also made him part of the Kabalebo family. 


He is a still-hunter who starts right when night falls. Sometimes he hunts at the other side of the river, but most of the time he hunts near the lodge, 'snatching' sleeping birds out of the trees. Recently he started to hunt on bats when they fly out of the staff houses ceilings. A great 'bat' terminator who doesn't ask for anything in return. 


This Spectacled Owl is a real down-to-earth fellow, who doesn't ask much, but rather enjoy every little thing in his life. 

Here it just caught a bird, a Grey-breasted Martin.

Fully grown. Here it waits until the bats fly out.