African wood owl

Introduction: The African wood-owl (Strix woodfordii) is named after Colonel EJ Woodford (1761-1835), a British Army officer and one of southern Africa's first nature collector's. These owls will inhabit any densely wooded area such as evergreen forests, well-treed gardens and tall deciduous woodland.

Distribution: Caprivi areas such as Bwabwata National Park, Kwando River and Katima Mulilo regions.

Diet: Hunts from favoured low perches for mainly insects and small birds, but will also take rodents, frogs and some large snakes.

Description: Medium to large owls with rounded heads and very large eyes. Strix is Latin for 'screech-owl' referring to their rhythmic series of hoots and whistles, called for long continuous periods once they emerge after dark.

Breeding: Nest are usually natural tree holes. Females lay between 1 and 3 eggs between October and July.

Size: 35cm.

Weight: 335g. Females are larger than males.