Re-discovery of the Congo Bay-Owl

Based on an article in ABC (March 1997) by Thomas M. Butynski, Upoki Agenonga, Bagurubumwe Ndera & John F. Hart

(Photo: T.Butynski)

Identified from just a single skin obtained 45 years ago and not collected since, the Congo Bay-Owl Phodilus prigoginei is one of Africa's least known birds. The type specimen, a female, was obtained in 1951 by Alexandre Prigogine's local collectors at Muusi on the Itombwe Massif off the north-west corner of Lake Tanganyika in eastern Congo.

This discovery was remarkable since it represents the only Bay Owl in Africa. Sometimes referred to as the Itombwe Owl, or Prigogine's Owl, the Congo Bay-Owl is one of only two species in the Genus Phodilus, the other being the Oriental Bay-Owl Phodilus badius, a widespread but little known lowland forest bird from northern India to Borneo.

(Photo: T.Butynski)

Prigogine's collectors searched in vain from 1952 to 1964 for additional specimens of the Congo Bay-Owl at Itombwe, and in several other montane forests of the Albertine Rift. Many other attempts to locate it have also been unsuccessful. Owing largely to the remoteness of the area and political disturbances, there has been little scientific work at Itombwe since the early 1960's. During four weeks in April and May 1996, the authors participated on the Wildlife Conservation Society's biological survey of southern Itombwe. On May 1, a small owl was captured at 1.830 m in a mist-net placed about 50 m within fairly dense, slightly degraded forest. The owl was apparently flying about 1,3 m above the ground when it entered the net. Six photographs were sent to M.Louette in Tervuren, who examined them against the type specimen, and confirmed that the captured bird was indeed the Congo Bay-Owl. This record dispels the notion that the Congo Bay-Owl is extinct.

(Photo: T.Butynski)

Gallery montane forest and highland savanna near Kabembe, in which the Congo Bay-Owl was captured.