Photo: Joachim Huber / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern White-faced Owl
Ptilopsis granti
Southern White-faced Owl (Ptilopsis granti) — Owls of Africa.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern White-faced Owl (Ptilopsis granti) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 214 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 Ptilopsis
- Species granti
Where it lives
Gabon to southern Uganda and southwestern Kenya, south to Namibia and South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 214 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern White-faced Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Southern White-faced Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Southern White-faced Owl (Ptilopsis granti) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Gabon to s Uganda and sw Kenya, s to Namibia and South Africa.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 214 g, with a wing length of about 20.2 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern White-faced Owl?
The Southern White-faced Owl is a large bird that weighs around 214 g.
Where does the Southern White-faced Owl live?
The Southern White-faced Owl is found across Africa with a range covering AF Gabon to s Uganda and sw Kenya, s to Namibia and South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Southern White-faced Owl belong to?
The Southern White-faced Owl (Ptilopsis granti) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Southern White-faced Owl eat?
The Southern White-faced Owl is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern White-faced Owl migrate?
The Southern White-faced Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Southern White-faced 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 Southern White-faced Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Southern White-faced Owl — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Southern White-faced Owl's range?
The Southern White-faced Owl has a mapped global range of about 7.8 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.