Where to see the Spotted Eagle-Owl in South Africa

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Spotted Eagle-Owl at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Gamkaberg Nature Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

The Spotted Eagle-Owl is most recorded in Western Cape (63% of records), Northern Cape (7% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (6% of records), based on 3,960 iNaturalist observations. 95 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Spotted Eagle-Owl on site or nearby.

The Spotted Eagle-Owl is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Gamkaberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

The spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus) is a medium-sized species of owl, one of the smallest of the eagle owls. Its length is 45 centimetres (18 in) and its weight is from 454 to 907 grams (1.0 to 2.0 lb). It has a 100 to 140 centimetres (39 to 55 in) wingspan. The facial disk is off white to pale ochre and the eyes are yellow.