Glaucidium capense

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Strigiformes

Familia: Strigidae
Subfamilia: Surniinae
Genus: Glaucidium
Species: Glaucidium capense
Subspecies: G. c. capense – G. c. castaneum – G. c. etchecopari – G. c. ngamiense – G. c. scheffleri
Name

Glaucidium capense (A. Smith, 1834)
Synonymy

Noctua capense (protonym)

References

South African Quarterly Journal 2: 313.

Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Gebande uil
brezhoneg: Kaouenn gorr ar C'hab
català: Mussolet del Cap
čeština: Kulíšek africký
Cymraeg: Cordylluan resog Affrica
Deutsch: Kap-Sperlingskauz
English: African Barred Owlet
español: Mochuelo de El Cabo
suomi: Akasiavarpuspöllö
français: Chevêchette du Cap
Nederlands: Kaapse dwerguil
norsk: Dvergugle
polski: Sóweczka plamobrzucha
português: Mocho-barrado
русский: Капский воробьиный сыч
svenska: Akaciasparvuggla -

The African barred owlet (Glaucidium capense) is a species of small owl in the family Strigidae found in much of southern, central and eastern Africa. The taxon may be four species rather than a single species.
Description

The African barred owlet is a small owlet that shows some geographic variation (see Taxonomy). The nominate subspecies is greyish brown above with fine buff bars and a narrow white eyebrow. The scapulars and greater wing coverts have white outer webs with dark brown tips and form a white stripe across the shoulder and the folded wing. The brown chest is finely barred with buff and the breast and flanks are white with brown spots. The underwing coverts, legs and vent are white, while the flight feathers and tail are brown barred with rufous. The bill and cere are dull greenish yellow and the eyes, legs and feet are yellow. Length is about 17 cm (6.7 in) and wingspan is about 40 cm (16 in).[3]
Call

The call of the African barred owlet is a series of single pitched purring notes.[3]
Distribution and habitat

G. capense is endemic to Southern and Eastern Africa from Kenya and the Eastern Cape to Western Angola.[4]

The African barred owlet occurs in open habitats with trees such as gallery forest, woodland, forest edge and secondary growth.[4]
Behaviour

The African barred owlet is partly diurnal. Calling occurs mainly at dusk and dawn but also through the night on calm and clear nights. It is frequently observed on open perches scanning for prey, even during the day. It roosts within cover, often in a natural cavity in a tree. If they are detected by other birds during the day they will often be subjected to mobbing. The African barred owlet feeds on small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, insects, scorpions and caterpillars which are normally caught following a short flight from a perch.[4]

Both sexes call to proclaim their territory, most frequently before breeding. The nest site is usually a tree cavity 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) from the ground. Two or three eggs are laid from September to November. The young are fed by both parents but only in the dark, fledging after 30–33 days and becoming independent after 7–12 months.[4]
Taxonomy

There are currently three subspecies recognised but many authorities recognise each of these as a separate species.[4] Others in the complex like G. capense etchecopari (or Etchecopar's barred owl) are of uncertain status.[5] The subspecies are:[6]

Glaucidium capense capense: southern Mozambique to Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Glaucidium capense ngamiense: eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to central Tanzania (including Mafia Island), south to Angola, northern Namibia, northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
Glaucidium capense scheffleri: extreme southern coastal Somalia, eastern Kenya and north-eastern Tanzania.

References

BirdLife International (2017). "Glaucidium capense". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22689290A111870445. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22689290A111870445.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
Kemp, Alan; Kemp, Meg (1998). SASOL Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands. New Holland. pp. 296–297. ISBN 1-85974-100-2.
König, Claus; Weick, Friedhelm; Becking, Jan-Hendrick (1999). Owls A Guide to the Owls of the World. Pica Press. pp. 379–380. ISBN 1-873403-74-7.
Fishpool, Lincoln D. C. (2023). "The distribution, specimens and status of Chestnut Owlet Glaucidium (capense) castaneum and Albertine Owlet G. (c.) albertinum". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 143 (1). doi:10.25226/bboc.v143i1.2023.a6. ISSN 0007-1595.
"African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense (Smith, A, 1834)". Avibase. Denis Lepage. Retrieved 29 October 2016.