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Pharaoh Eagle-owl

Bubo ascalaphus

Resident nearby

Found at Neolithic WF16

The Pharaoh Eagle-owl usually inhabits mountains and steppe, often frequenting cliffs and rocky outcrops. It can also be found in sandy deserts that contain large trees or bushes. In Wadi Faynan they are most likely to be seen amongst the rocky cliffs.

Sometimes Pharaoh Eagle-owls will adopt the abandoned nests of ravens or buzzards, rather than building their own nests. The Wadi Faynan Bedouin believe that the owl has no need to hunt for food, because its prey will fly right to its nest to be eaten, either drawn by the owl’s cry or given to the owls by Allah.

Image credit: ‘Pharoah Eagle-owl’ by Tanaka Juuyoh via Flikr, CC BY 2.0