Burning issue

KYALAMI’S GRASS OWLS

- ANTON VAN NIEKERK AND MIKE POPE

There are some bird species that even an avid birder may never see, perhaps because their numbers are restricted or they occur in difficult terrain. One such species is the African Grass Owl Tyto capensis, classified as Vulnerable in South Africa, with a declining population.

Not only do these owls inhabit very dense grassland in wetlands, but they are also fully nocturnal. The Marsh Owl often shares similar habitat, but because it generally starts hunting in the late afternoon and continues into the early morning, it is seen quite frequently. The Grass Owl, on the other hand, only takes to the wing once it is dark, so sightings of this bird are rare. It is thus an incredible honor to head up a research project on this elusive and threatened owl.

In 2007 the Greater Kyalami Conservancy, or GEKCO, was established in Midrand, Gauteng. It was set up because it had been recognized that many vulnerable species in the area were at risk in the face of ongoing development. In 2013 an application to build on a known Grass Owl breeding site came under threat when a specialist arrived to document the owls for the formal objection. However, a fire deliberately started by unknown individuals destroyed the site and the Grass Owls were famously photographed escaping the blaze (see