Back Reuse-ooruil Afrikaans بوهة فيرو Arabic البوم العملاق ARZ Bubo lacteus AST Млечен бухал Bulgarian Duc lletós Catalan Bubo lacteus CEB Eryrdylluan Verreaux Welsh Milchuhu German Bubo lacteus Spanish

Verreaux's eagle-owl

Verreaux's eagle-owl
From Etosha National Park
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Ketupa
Species:
K. lactea
Binomial name
Ketupa lactea
(Temminck, 1820)

Verreaux's eagle-owl (Ketupa lactea), also commonly known as the milky eagle owl or giant eagle owl,[3] is a member of the family Strigidae. This species is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. A member of the genus Ketupa, it is the largest African owl, measuring up to 66 cm (26 in) in total length. This eagle-owl is a resident primarily of dry, wooded savanna. Verreaux's eagle-owl is mainly grey in color and is distinguishable from other large owls by its bright pink eyelids, a feature shared with no other owl species in the world.[4]

Verreaux's eagle-owl is a highly opportunistic predator equipped with powerful talons. Just over half of its known diet is composed of mammals but equal or even greater numbers of birds and even insects may be hunted locally, along with any other appropriately sized prey that is encountered.[5][6] This species is considered of Least Concern by IUCN as it occurs over a wide range and has shown some adaptability to human-based alterations and destruction of habitat and adaptability to diverse prey when a primary prey species declines in a region. As a large, highly territorial species of owl, it does, however, occur at fairly low densities and some regional declines have been reported.[1][4]

The common name commemorates the French naturalist Jules Verreaux. The type specimen that was later described by Temminck at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie was collected by Verreaux while he was still in his teens.[7][8]

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Bubo lacteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22688986A93212982. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688986A93212982.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Arkive was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b König, C., & Weick, F. (2008). Owls of the World. A&C Black. ISBN 9780300142273.
  5. ^ Brown, L. H. (1965). "Observations on Verreaux's Eagle Owl Bubo lacteus (Temminck) in Kenya." Journal of the East African Natural History Society, 25, 101-107.
  6. ^ Avery, G., Robertson, A. S., Palmer, N. G., & Prins, A. J. (1985). "Prey of giant eagle owls in the de Hoop nature reserve, Cape province, and some observations on hunting strategy." Ostrich, 56(1-3), 117-122.
  7. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2003). Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 350–351.
  8. ^ Hume, R. (1991). Owls of the world. Running Press, Philadelphia. 1991.
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