The Albertine owlet or Prigogine's owlet, is a small species of small owl in the family Strigidae, native to the Albertine Rift montane forests.
Region
Albertine Rift, Central/East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs in montane and submontane evergreen forests of the Albertine Rift, with records primarily from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and potentially adjacent highlands. It favors dense mid-elevation forest, forest edges, and bamboo or secondary growth near mature stands. Stream gullies and ridgelines with scattered emergent trees are often used as hunting perches. Human disturbance and forest clearing may restrict it to relatively intact blocks of montane forest.
Altitude Range
1200–2600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called Prigogine's owlet, this little-known species is confined to the Albertine Rift montane forests and is known from very few confirmed records. It likely resembles other Glaucidium pygmy-owls in being partially crepuscular and perch-hunting along forest edges. Ongoing habitat loss in the Albertine region is a probable threat, and much of its ecology and breeding remain poorly documented.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides through dense forest
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs during the breeding season. Likely nests in natural cavities or old woodpecker holes, as in other Glaucidium owls. Courtship probably involves duet-like calling and short display flights near the nest site.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of soft, evenly spaced, high-pitched toots, often delivered at dusk and dawn. Calls may accelerate slightly and can be repeated for several minutes from a concealed perch.
Plumage
Compact, barred owl with finely spotted crown and heavily barred brown-and-cream underparts; upperparts dark brown with lighter barring.
Diet
Feeds on large insects such as beetles, moths, katydids, and also small vertebrates including rodents, small birds, and lizards. Hunts from low to mid-level perches, scanning and then pouncing to capture prey on the ground or foliage. May cache surplus prey in cavities or dense vegetation, as observed in related pygmy-owls.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, clearings, and lightly disturbed secondary forest adjoining mature montane forest. Also hunts along stream margins and ridgelines where visibility is slightly better within dense growth.
