Marsh Owl (Asio capensis)
About the Marsh Owl
The marsh owl (Asio capensis) is a medium to large species of owl in the family Strigidae. Medium-sized, dark brown with a pumpkin-shaped head with small 'ear' tufts. The facial disc is pale buff, with a distinct dark brown rim with buff speckles. There is a dark brown area around the eyes, which are also dark brown. Its ear-tufts are earth-brown and quite small, often not visible, and set near the centre of the forehead. The tail is dark brown, barred pale buff with a whitish tip. Tarsi are feathered pale tawny-buff and toes are covered with pale buffish plumes, leaving the dark brown tips bare. Claws are blackish. Males are generally paler than females, and there is some individual variation in tone. Length is 31–38 cm, wing length is 284–380mm, tail length is 132–186mm, and weight is 225–485g.
No audio on this page yet
We only publish recordings we may use commercially, because this site is supported by ads. xeno-canto lists 17 recordings for this species: 1 CC BY-NC-SA. None of them permits commercial use, so there is no player here — the page is kept as a profile so the bird is not missing from the guide.
As soon as someone uploads a freely licensed recording, we mirror it and the player appears here.
Listed as recorded in Madagascar, Morocco, South Africa in the xeno-canto catalogue.
Related species you can hear
- Long-eared OwlAsio otusrecording
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusrecording
- Striped OwlAsio clamatorrecording
This species has no recording here yet — these relatives do, so you can hear what the family sounds like.