Claims that this species is found in the southern Arabian Peninsula are erroneous and presumably due to confusion with Bubo milesi.

[6] These owls may also wander into human settlements or even towns, often specifically to predate abundant pigeons.

It is dark below with the sides of the breast being blotchy brown and the paler chest overlaid with white, black and tawny-fulvous markings, variously.

The facial disc is fulvous-brown, with a distinct black or dark brown frame that becomes broader towards the neck.

The toes and tarsi are densely feathered, with the little visible skin being brown above and yellowish below the feet.

The song of the male Cape eagle-owl consists of a powerful, explosive hoot, followed by a faint note: boowh-hu.

The subspecies B. c. dilloni is generally richer brown in colour, less coarsely marked below and has more distinct barring on the sides and the breast than the nominate.

Opportunistically, the Cape eagle-owl will supplement its diet with reptiles, frogs, scorpions, crabs and large insects.

Hunts are from prominent perches, with the owl gliding in descending flight after prey and killing them with their powerful talons or bill.

The female broods the chicks, feeding them with small piece of meat brought by the males.

[3] The Cape eagle-owl is classified as being of least concern by the IUCN, since its range is fairly large and populations appear to be stable.

[1] They are common in areas such as the Mau Plateau in Kenya, though they are locally rare to absent in other parts of their range.