Bird Album
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Glaucidium perlatum (Vieillot, 1817)
17–21 cmLength79 gWeight
The pearl-spotted owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) is a small bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa.
Busiest months: August and November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Kenya
Where and when it's recorded
Pearl-spotted Owlet has been recorded at 295 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 26 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Tarangire NPTanzania370 records
- Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa295 records
- Etosha NP – Halali CampNamibia242 records
More places
- Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa209 records
- Ondudu LodgeNamibia194 records
- Mole NP – Samole Loop & waterholeGhana163 records
- Etosha NP – Okaukuejo CampNamibia156 records
- Tarangire NP – Tarangire Safari LodgeTanzania147 records
- Waterberg ResortNamibia138 records
- Etosha NP – Namutoni CampNamibia135 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The pearl-spotted owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) is a small bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa. They belong to the Strigidae family, otherwise known as the typical owls or the true owls, which contains most species of owl. As part of the genus Glaucidium, or pygmy owls, they are commonly referred to as 'owlets' due to their diminutive size.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Pearl-spotted Owlet?
The Pearl-spotted Owlet is about 17–21 cm long and weighs around 79 g.
Where does the Pearl-spotted Owlet live?
Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Kenya.
When is the best time to see the Pearl-spotted Owlet?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Pearl-spotted Owlet endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Pearl-spotted Owlet as Least Concern.
What does the Pearl-spotted Owlet eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Pearl-spotted Owlet in?
It belongs to the family Owls (Strigidae), order Strigiformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 17–21 cm
- Weight
- 79 g
- Habitat
- Shrubland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 110 mm
- Tail
- 78 mm
- Bill
- 15 mm
- Tarsus
- 22 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Owls Strigidae
- Genus
- Glaucidium
Other birds in the genus Glaucidium
Eurasian Pygmy OwlGlaucidium passerinum
Red-chested OwletGlaucidium tephronotum
Sjöstedt's Barred OwletGlaucidium sjostedti
Asian Barred OwletGlaucidium cuculoides
Javan OwletGlaucidium castanopterum
Jungle OwletGlaucidium radiatum
Chestnut-backed OwletGlaucidium castanotum
African Barred OwletGlaucidium capense
Albertine OwletGlaucidium albertinum
Northern Pygmy OwlGlaucidium californicum
Mountain Pygmy OwlGlaucidium gnoma
Baja Pygmy OwlGlaucidium hoskinsii
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Carmelo López Abad. ↗
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