A Very Different Type of Owl

From Pete Fletcher

Pels Fishing Owls. Adult and juvenile.

Seen on three consecutive mornings on private concession on northern banks of Olifants River, northern boundary of Balule Private Game Reserve, Hoedspruit.

The Pel's Fishing Owl is a rare site. While we're pretty familiar here with the Fish Owls of Asia (Buffy, Tawny, and Brown) the Fishing Owls of Africa (Pel's, Rufous, Vermiculated) have an even more fish centered diet. This goes as far as them losing or never developing some of the features most other owls are equipped with.

The hunt from overhangs above water. They watch the surface for the ripples of fish and other creatures just below the surface and will dive to grab them,staying just out of the water themselves.

Due to this, their feathers don't have the fringed edges for silent flight, as the fish don't hear them below the water. They have almost no facial disc, because they in return, do not hear the fish. They have better developed eyes instead. The legs and feet are near featherless to keep from getting wet while hunting.

While their diet is mostly fish, they have also been noted as eating frogs, mussels, and in one case, a baby crocodile! I wanted a pic or story on that, but the source is paywalled.

These owls are typically in very remote places, almost totally nocturnal, and sound pretty skittish, so encounters are very rare and seldom last long, making this a bucket list owl for many photographers.

It is the second largest owl in Africa, only smaller than the Milky Eagle Owl. It's about the same size as a Snowy, making it probably the fifth largest owl in the world.