Photo: jujurenoult / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl
Bubo ascalaphus
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) — Owls of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Bubo
- Species ascalaphus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF nw AF to Arabian Pen.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 36.2 cm and a tail of around 18.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl live?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl is found across Africa with a range covering AF nw AF to Arabian Pen, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl belong to?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl eat?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl migrate?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pharaoh Eagle-Owl's range?
The Pharaoh Eagle-Owl has a mapped global range of about 3.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.