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PLATE 67: LARGER OWLS
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl Bubo ascalaphus rb
L: 50. A large owl, cinnamon or ginger in tone, with most of lower breast and belly distinctly
barred. Eyes orange-yellow. Often sits out in daytime. Voice Loud; a booming boooor and variety of
other, mainly deep calls. Habitat Mountains, steppe, frequenting cliffs, crags and rocky outcrops;
sand desert with large trees or bushes. Nests on ledge, down well, under roots or in old tree nest
of raven or buzzard. Note Resident with some dispersal post-breeding and wandering in winter;
vagrant Bahrain. [Alt: Desert Eagle-Owl]Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus RB
L: 45. Endemic Arabian subspecies B. a. milesi (Arabian Spotted Eagle-Owl) occurs. Resembles
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, but entire underparts including underwing-coverts densely barred dark
brown with only irregularly dark-blotched upper breast; upperparts barred dark brown with white
spots on edge of scapulars; paler Pharaoh Eagle-Owl has streaked breast and centre of belly
often unbarred, others have dark shaft-streaks in the barring (absent in Arabian Spotted Eagle-
Owl); nape and hindneck finely white-spotted (streaked in other eagle-owls). In flight, shows
bolder pale and dark tail bands than in other eagle-owls. Eyes yellow. Often active during day.
Voice Male has a double-note song hu-hoo, often in duet with lower-pitched female’s rather dove-
like hoo-doo-doh-dooh (second note highest, last two lowest). Habitat Open woodland, rocky hills,
ravines; sometimes near habitation. Nests on ground under rock, cliff ledge or occasionally in tree.
Note Rare breeding resident in N and S Oman.Desert Owl Strix hadorami rb
L: 37. W: 96. Like a pale Omani Owl with yellowish-orange eyes; occurs in desert regions. Facial
disc off-white with dark band in centre of forehead; underparts whitish-buff with indistinct ochre
barring; upperparts sandy- or greyish-brown with bold barred uppertail and pale golden-buff collar.
Strictly nocturnal. Voice Territorial call a five-syllabic whoooo, hoo-hoo, who-who with stress on
first drawn-out note. Habitat Rocky deserts with gorges, desert earth-banks; often near palm
groves, acacias and sometimes near springs and settlements. Nests in hole in rocks or cliff face.
Note Resident in much of Arabia including S Oman. Formerly known as Hume’s Owl Strix butleri.Omani Owl Strix butleri rb
L: 35. Very similar to Desert Owl and lacking ear tufts, but darker and less rufous. Bicoloured
facial disc, pale below and between the eyes, darker above the eyes. Facial disk surrounded by
pale orange-brown ring. Orange eyes like Desert Owl. Upperparts dark greyish-brown. Breast pale
with short vertical stripes becoming whiter on belly. In flight, upperwing greyish-brown with some
whitish spots; underwing pale with darker tips to secondaries and primaries. Voice Four syllabic
hoo-HOO-hoo-hoo with stress on second note and short third syllable. Also a pulsed hooting of
almost identical notes. Habitat Steep-sided mountain wadis. Note Resident in Iran, N Oman and
eastern UAE.