Chick me out! Mother owl blends into tree bark as she guards her nest… but her offspring have yet to learn her knack for hiding!
- The clever owl was found hiding in woodland on Noordhoek Common in Cape Town, South Africa by a local
- Two tiny owlets – around two weeks old – were spotted peering out from behind the safety of their mum
- Amateur photographer Rob Mousley, 57, pictured the small family and admitted he struggled to spot them
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When it comes to camouflage this owl is high up in the pecking order – blending perfectly into a tree to conceal her tiny owlets.
The clever bird was caught hiding in woodland on Noordhoek Common in Cape Town, South Africa.
Two tiny owlets – around two weeks old – were also eventually spotted peering out from behind the safety of their mum.
The clever owl was found hiding in woodland on Noordhoek Common in Cape Town, South Africa
The pair of chicks – around two weeks old – looked out from their hiding place
The protective mother looked out from her nest as she kept close to her chicks
Rob Mousley, 57, lives by the common and has been following the owls for weeks, but admits he sometimes struggles to spot them thanks to their incredible camouflage.
The IT consultant said: ‘They had been roosting in a garden near the common but disappeared.
‘I suspected that they might be nesting on the common but, try as I might, I couldn’t find them.
‘It was only when a friend spotted the male nearby that I realised where she was.
‘Not only is she exquisitely camouflaged, but she was concealed right at the back of the nest.’
The majestic animal is difficult to spot due to its natural camouflage
A small owlet looks out from its nest. As the owlets get older, their mother will start spending more time off the nest
He added: ‘Unless you know where they are, they’re almost impossible to spot, especially with the naked eye.
‘The giveaway was the presence of the male – who usually roosts nearby the nest during the day.
‘If you can spot him, which is difficult enough given that he also tends to stand behind foliage, then you know roughly where to look – for a platform that has some overhead cover and enough space for the female to lie down.
‘I was amazed at the effectiveness of the camouflage.’
The pair of chicks cuddle up together and decide to have a nap
Amateur photographer Rob Mousley lives by the common and has been following the owls for weeks, but admits he sometimes struggles to spot them thanks to their incredible camouflage
He continued: ‘However, even when their eyes appear to be closed, owls are often watching and respond in an instant to any potential threat – an early morning walker with a dog had just come onto the Common and she opened her eyes wide and sat up to check it out.
‘To begin with, the female spends almost 100% of her time on the nest keeping the owlets secure.
‘As the owlets get older, she’ll start spending more and more time off the nest – but will be close by, ready to attack any potential threat.
‘I always stay a distance from the birds though; they are surprisingly relaxed around humans, but will open their beaks and hiss if you get too close.
‘Other threat behaviours include making a loud clicking sound with their beaks and if really threatened they will fly at humans or dogs with talons outstretched.
‘Happily I’ve never been at the receiving end of that – the talons are several centimetres long and needle sharp.
‘They’re definitely aware of me – but they usually give me a hard stare and then look away as if dismissing me as a threat.
‘As you can see, I really love these birds. The youngsters become real characters and they’re a joy to watch, as they learn to fly and to hunt for themselves.’