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Grass Owl
Tyto capensis
Conservation Status
Vulnerable species in New South Wales (Threatened Species Conservation Act).
What does it look like?
It is a medium-sized, slim owl with long slender legs that are sparsely feathered. The heart-shaped facial disc is white in the male and pale orange buff with dark speckles in the female. It is outlined by a narrow pale ruff with dark edging at the bottom. The eyes are relatively small and have buff and black ‘tear’ marks below them. The upper parts of the owl are chocolate and buff while the underparts are pale, flushed orange-buff and highly spotted. The wings are rather long and broad, barred dark brown and buff with silvery spots. The underwing is white with fine dark spotting and darkish wing tips. The undertail is white with several narrow dark grey bars. (from Birds in Backyards)
Where does it live?
It has been recorded in all states of Australia but is more common in northern and north-eastern Australia. In NSW there are records mostly east of the Great Dividing Range with many from Northern Rivers and several for mid-north coast. There are few records for Sydney (one in Pittwater) as the Grass Owl is only a vagrant to this region.
The Grass Owl spends much of its time on the ground, using dense low vegetation as shelter. Suitable habitat includes low coastal heath and tall grassland with tussock grass, lignum, canegrass, heath, swampy areas or margins of mangroves, as well as agricultural land such as sugar cane, sorghum and rice.
What does it eat and what is its life cycle?
It is a dietary specialist, focusing on rodents. Grass Owl numbers often increase when rodent numbers increase, possibly also affecting short term distribution patterns. Breeding may occur at anytime of the year and takes place when prey is abundant, laying 3 to 8 eggs. A nest is formed within dense grass and sedge clumps. They also use similar cover to rest during the day.
Updated: 18 Jul 2011