We love that we so often get to fall asleep to the sound of owls hooting, here at Ngwenya Lodge. This time, however, the hooting was a little too close to home…
Barn Owl found in a unit at Ngwenya Lodge
This beautiful little guy, a Barn Owl, somehow found his way into one of the units, where he was discovered by our housekeeping team. We’re not sure just ‘hoo’ was more surprised…
The housekeeping team enlisted the help of the maintenance team, who carefully and calmly, manoeuvred him into a corner where they could safely gather him up. They then duly removed him back to the great outdoors and left him in the fork of a large branch, in a dense, shady tree away from any populated areas.
Barn Owl in the bush
Interestingly enough, Barn Owls don’t actually hoot! They make a harsh, eerie-sounding shriek. This, combined with their somewhat spooky appearance, especially in flight, and their fondness for abandoned buildings, is what has led to the nickname ‘ghost owl’.
Barn owls are one of the most widely spread species of birds and are the most widely distributed owl in the world. Western Barn Owl breeding pairs are monogamous and mate for life. They are nocturnal predators, usually setting off to hunt just after sunset and returning to roost just before sunrise. The owl’s facial disk helps to channel sound to its ears, which are located on either side of the face, and they can zone in on sounds with extreme accuracy. Another remarkable adaptation is their silent flight, thanks to specialised feathers that muffle the sound of their wingbeats. This silent flight enables them to surprise their prey, making them highly efficient hunters.
Barn Owl hunting at night
In addition to the threat of loss of habitat which owls face, through deforestation and land conservation for agriculture, owls are at risk from pesticides and rodenticides, as these chemicals can accumulate in their prey and affect their reproductive success; or often kill the owls outright through secondary poisoning. Unfortunately, over the course of time, Western Barn Owls have been linked to unfounded beliefs in a tragic manner. They are believed to represent death and are seen as bearers of misfortune for humans, often associated with practices like witchcraft. It is widely believed that if a Western Barn Owl is spotted resting on a house’s roof, a family member will die the next day. These baseless superstitions and the subsequent bias against Western Barn Owls have resulted in their senseless and cruel killing by some humans.
The African Scops-Owl is the smallest Southern African owl, and is smaller than a dove
Fortunately, more enlightened folk hold these magnificent birds in high regard and understand and appreciate their role in the ecosystem.
Rats and mice are notorious for destroying crops and can cause ill health to humans through the zoonotic diseases they carry. As predators of rats and mice in both rural and suburban areas, Western Barn Owls have an important role to play.
Owls play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of the Greater Kruger Park Lodge ecosystem. As top predators, they help regulate populations of small mammals and birds, preventing unchecked growth and potential imbalances. By controlling rodent populations, owls indirectly contribute to the health of the region’s vegetation, as excessive plant consumption by rodents can disrupt the ecosystem extensively.
Pel’s Fishing Owl, another local resident considered one of the Kruger birds Big 6
We wish you many happy hoot spots on your next visit to Ngwenya Lodge, but hopefully not in the lounge!