- This magnificent Verreaux’s eagle-owl, the largest owl species in Africa, has no trouble hiding from enemies
- Its camouflage is so effective that German photographer Ingo Gerlach was baffled when told he was near one
- He took a series of pictures of apparently empty tree before realising one of the majestic birds was perched
The African savannah is a very dangerous place for an animal – so it’s essential to be able to hide.
But this magnificent Verreaux’s eagle-owl, the largest owl species on the continent, has no trouble fooling its enemies – or its prey.
Its camouflage is so effective that German photographer Ingo Gerlach was left baffled when his guide told him one of the graceful birds was in a tree close by.
He snapped a series of shots before spotting the owl himself – perched in plain sight.
The nocturnal birds roost in trees during the day and exploit shaded branches to remain out of view.
But they have also been known to rest in the open, entering a very light sleep out of which they can awaken rapidly if threatened by an attacker.
The African savannah is a very dangerous place for an animal – so it’s essential to be able to hide. But this magnificent Verreaux’s eagle-owl, the largest owl species on the continent, has no trouble fooling its enemies – or its prey. Can you spot it?
Its camouflage is so effective that German photographer Ingo Gerlach was left baffled when his guide told him one of the graceful birds was in a tree. Can you spot it now?
There it is! Gerlach snapped a series of shots before spotting the owl himself – perched in plain sight. The nocturnal birds roost in trees during the day and exploit shaded branches to remain out of view
The birds have also been known to rest in the open, entering a very light sleep out of which they can awaken rapidly if threatened by an attacker. Pictured: The bird perched in the tree
Every breeding pair of Verreaux’s eagle-owls defends a huge amount of territory – sometimes as much as 7,000 hectares
The owl is just about at the top of the food chain, having no real natural predators. It usually goes on the hunt early in the evening but has also been known to hunt during the day
More than 100 species of prey have been identified for the owl, including small mammals and insects. It is especially known to prey on hedgehogs
The owl also eats a range of other birds – over 50 species have been recorded as among its targets. It also takes from the nests of birds, eating their young when they are away collecting food