Grace Valley Wildlife Rescue Gears Up for Owl Breeding Season

At Grace Valley Wildlife Rescue, we’re heading into one of the most exciting and busiest times of the year: Spotted Eagle Owl breeding season.

These incredible birds are vital to our local ecosystems. A single owl family can eat up to 3,000 rodents a year, making them one of nature’s most effective pest control teams. That’s just one reason why we encourage everyone to go poison-free. Rodenticides don’t just harm pests, they kill the very wildlife that helps keep ecosystems balanced.

During breeding season, we often receive calls from concerned members of the public who have found owlets on the ground. It’s important to understand that Spotted Eagle Owls lay their eggs in stages, which means you might spot a nest with owlets of different sizes: that’s completely normal. As they grow, fledglings begin to leave the nest and explore. This is a natural part of their development, and it’s not unusual to see them more frequently at this time of year, especially at dawn or dusk when their parents are out hunting.

Unless they are injured or in immediate danger, owlets on the ground should not be picked up. Please give them space, alert your neighbours, and keep dogs on leashes. These young owls are learning vital survival skills, and human interference can do more harm than good.

If you’d like to go a step further and support owls directly, consider installing an owl box. We’re happy to help with advice and info, just message us on WhatsApp at 072 130 2208 or email hello@gracevalleyhaven.co.za.

You can learn more about owl boxes in the video below with Mike Amira, OWL BOX MAN

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