Already classified as Vulnerable in South Africa, the population of African Grass Owls in the country numbers less than 5 000 birds (Roberts Birds of South Africa, Ed VII).  As results from the latest South African Bird Atlas Project are collated, it appears that long-term survival prospects for this unique and special owl are bleak – and its Red Data List category may move to Endangered or Critical.  Once a locally common breeding resident, it is now uncommon to rare over much of its range and has disappeared altogether in some areas.

One of the problems is that the African Grass Owl has very specific habitat requirements.  They occur in relatively high rainfall regions (in South Africa that means regions with around 800 mm/year).  They prefer treeless areas associated with damp substrata such as marshes and vleis, favouring patches of tall rank grass, sedges or weeds.  They are also found in dense ground cover in thorn scrub, low fynbos or renosterveld close to water and among thick stands of grass and sedge. 

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