Spotted Eagle Owl declared bird of the year

The Spotted Eagle Owl has been introduced as the Bird of 2008 as part of the launch of National Bird Week held at the Umgeni River Bird Park in Durban.

A number of learners from schools around the city attended the ceremony. The Spotted Eagle Owl is found all over the country, but prefers rocky or well-wooded areas.

Public Relations Officer for the Park, Rekha Naidoo, says hopefully the public will realise that myths surrounding owls - such as them being the messengers of death - are unfounded. “People always associate owls with superstition and for us to bring the spotted eagle owl into the limelight - I think people are going to start appreciating owls more.

“They're going to understand the value of how much the owl actually helps us. They help to keep the rat and rodent population under control. If we didn't have owls can you imagine the infestation we'd have?”