Bubo lacteus
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
Verreaux's eagle-owl (Ketupa lactea), also commonly known as the milky eagle owl or giant eagle owl, is a large owl of the genus Ketupa in the family Strigidae. It is the largest African owl, measuring up to 66 cm (26 in) in total length. Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, this eagle-owl is a resident primarily of dry, wooded savanna. The species is mainly grey in colour and is distinguishable by its bright pink eyelids, a unique feature not shared with any other owl species.
Verreaux's eagle-owl is a highly opportunistic predator equipped with powerful talons. Just over half of its known diet is composed of mammals, but equal numbers of birds and even insects may be hunted locally, along with any other appropriately sized prey that is encountered. This species is considered of Least Concern by IUCN, as it occurs over a wide range and has shown some adaptability to human-based alterations and destruction of habitat, also adapting to diverse prey when a primary prey species declines in a region. Although large in size and highly territorial, the Verreaux's eagle-owl does occur at fairly low densities, and some regional declines have been reported.
The common name commemorates the French naturalist Jules Verreaux. While still in his teens, Verreaux collected the type specimen that was later described by Temminck at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie. Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dar es-Salaam | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 2 | Mombasa | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Kampala | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Verreaux's Eagle-Owl sighting in Kibale National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 281st most-seen of the 366 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Verreaux's Eagle-Owl in Kibale National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Verreaux's Eagle-Owl sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
36th of 36
Of the 36 parks where we can rate Verreaux's Eagle-Owl sightings, Kibale National Park ranks 36th at under 5%. The best odds are in Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe, about 30%), Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 20%) and Ruaha National Park (Tanzania, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Verreaux's Eagle-Owl is recorded against all the birds logged in Kibale National Park (16 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
