Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-chested Owlet
Glaucidium tephronotum
Red-chested Owlet (Glaucidium tephronotum) — Owls of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-chested Owlet (Glaucidium tephronotum) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 87.4 g. 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 Glaucidium
- Species tephronotum
Quick facts
- Weight
- 87.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-chested Owlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-chested Owlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-chested Owlet (Glaucidium tephronotum) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 87.4 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 2.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-chested Owlet?
The Red-chested Owlet is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 87.4 g.
Where does the Red-chested Owlet live?
The Red-chested Owlet is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-chested Owlet belong to?
The Red-chested Owlet (Glaucidium tephronotum) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Red-chested Owlet eat?
The Red-chested Owlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-chested Owlet migrate?
The Red-chested Owlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-chested Owlet 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 Red-chested Owlet make?
1 real field recording of the Red-chested Owlet can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-chested Owlet's range?
The Red-chested Owlet has a mapped global range of about 2.1 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.