Chestnut owlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glaucidium capense castaneum |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Glaucidium |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
G. c. castaneum
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| Trinomial name | |
| Glaucidium capense castaneum Neumann, 1893
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The chestnut owlet (scientific name: Glaucidium capense castaneum) is a type of small owl. It is considered a subspecies of the African barred owlet. These owls live in parts of west and central Africa. There are two main groups of chestnut owlets that live in separate areas. Some scientists even think these groups might be different species!
Contents
What Does the Chestnut Owlet Look Like?
The chestnut owlet is a small bird. It looks quite a lot like the African barred owlet, but the African barred owlet is usually bigger.
Face and Body
Adult chestnut owlets have a brown face. This face has dark stripes and small spots. They also have whitish eyebrows above their bright yellow eyes.
The top part of their body is a rich chestnut brown. Their head has white spots, and their shoulders have a white line. This line is made by the outer feathers on their shoulder blades.
Their belly and chest are lighter in color. The chest has many thin stripes, and the rest of the belly has spots.
Beak, Legs, and Size
The beak and the waxy part above it (called the cere) are greenish-yellow. Their legs are covered in feathers. Their toes are a dull yellow color and have stiff bristles.
Chestnut owlets are about 20 to 21.5 centimeters (8 to 8.5 inches) long.
Where Do Chestnut Owlets Live?
Chestnut owlets live in west and central Africa. They prefer certain types of forests.
Their Forest Homes
You can find these owls in humid lowland rainforests. They also live in mountain forests. They are usually found at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,700 meters (about 3,300 to 5,600 feet) above sea level.
What Do Chestnut Owlets Do?
Scientists don't know a lot about the daily lives of chestnut owlets. However, they are similar to their relatives, the African barred owlets.
Daily Activities
Like some other owls, chestnut owlets are partly active during the day. This means they don't just hunt at night.
If smaller birds find an owl resting, they might "mob" it. This means they fly around it and make loud noises to bother it.
What They Eat
Chestnut owlets hunt for small animals. They eat small vertebrates (animals with backbones) and arthropods (like insects or spiders). They usually catch their prey from a perch. Sometimes, they pick it off leaves or branches.
