- Are you ready to meet the smallest owl ever?
Get ready to meet Tiny, the African Scops Owl.
I've got an idea.
You know what I've got right over here?
Mealworms. - [Cameraman] Cookies.
Those are not cookies. - No, not cookies.
These are considered cookies for an owl though.
There you go, that's good.
One thing that's guaranteed is that
if I get my finger close she'll bite it with her beak.
Watch this.
Ow!
(jungle music)
(growling)
When you think of African wildlife,
I'm sure that animals such as elephants, lions,
and giraffes immediately come to mind.
Yes, some of the largest land-dwelling mammals on our planet
roam these open grasslands, but this ecosystem is also home
to a variety of different bird species.
On one extreme you have the ostrich,
a flightless giant that holds several records,
which include being the tallest
and heaviest bird in the world.
This modern-day dinosaur can often be seen
gallivanting across the Savannah,
as it also boasts the record for
fastest land-dwelling avian species.
That's one impressive bird.
The other end of the spectrum brings us
to one of the world's smallest owl species, the Scops Owl.
Seeing these tiny birds of prey
in the wild is incredibly difficult,
so today we're going to get up close with one
that's been raised in captivity at the Caring Owl Sanctuary.
You guys have been asking for an owl episode
for quite some time.
Are you ready to meet the smallest owl ever?
Get read to meet Tiny, the African Scops Owl.
She's so cute.
I wonder if this is one of the owls
that was featured in Harry Potter.
This one's like pocket-sized.
I wish I could fit her right into my jacket but,
she likes hiding behind it,
but I don't think she'd actually wanna go in the pocket.
And one thing that's guaranteed
is that if I get my finger up close,
she'll bite it with her beak.
Watch this.
Oh, ow.
(whispers)
And, oh.
(whispers)
I like all those little fuzzy feathers
right around her beak.
(playful music)
- [Cameraman] Go ahead, she won't bite your nose.
- It's nose to beak with an owl, right there.
Look at the claws.
Those talons are razor sharp.
I was just trying to look at your talons.
Razor sharp talons, and you notice
I'm trying to talk very quietly next to the owl.
Don't wanna scare it, don't wanna stress it out.
They have incredible hearing,
so me shouting next to the owl is gonna not be good for ya.
- [Cameraman] Bet she won't bite me.
- Oh, I wouldn't count on that.
- [Cameraman] Ow!
- Oh, got you good.
- [Cameraman] It's pretty cool to actually
get to hold an owl.
- Let alone an owl that's this small.
I mean all owls are lightweight.
They're mostly feathers,
and as we know they have hollow bones,
but this owl right here weighs about 100 grams.
That's it.
That's one tiny little bird of prey.
- [Cameraman] What does she eat?
- Well, she's opportunistic,
but primarily they are insectivores.
But an owl of this size can even take something
down as large as a rat.
And you can see with those long talons,
once it grapples into its prey
it holds on and then it shreds that prey apart
using the beak.
You can see how quick she, oh!
See how quick she moves?
(whooshes)
Lashing down with that razor sharp beak,
she can easily kill something the size of a rat.
But like I said, primarily they stick to insects.
Something like a grasshopper, small lizards,
and even a small snake would probably make
a pretty good meal for an owl like this.
I'm gonna turn Tiny like this, and look at her back.
See how camouflaged she is?
Now during the day they will hide in the
hollows of a tree or up into the underbrush,
and this color pattern keeps them
perfectly camouflaged from any potential predators.
Now you may look at an owl like this
and you think to yourself, who would ever eat
an owl this adorable?
But actually, hawks will take owls of this size,
and any sort of land predator,
even something like a Nile Monitor,
if it had the opportunity to head up
into a tree and eat an owl like this it would.
I don't think there's a whole lot
of meat on you though, is there?
Whole lot of feathers, though.
What's very unique about this species
is they have the largest ear holes,
oh I see you, out of any owl species.
Incredible hearing in this bird.
Look at how big those eyes are.
Yes, very cute.
You see, just
blinking at me.
As we know owl species are nocturnal,
and they have incredibly efficient vision in the dark,
So Tiny is a female.
Now when they lay a clutch of eggs
it's somewhere between two and four eggs,
and the mother and the father both take care of the babies.
Oftentimes the mother will stay in the nest
while the father goes out and hunts,
bringing that food back to the nest for the mother,
and once the chicks hatch, they then also
reap the benefits of that prey.
I've got an idea.
Know what I've got right over here?
Meal worms. - [Cameraman] Cookies.
Those are not cookies. - No, not cookies.
They're considered cookies for an owl, though.
I've got these little tiny mealworms, and let's see.
This is me feeding a teeny tiny owl.
There you go, that's good.
Delicious, right?
Bonding with a tiny owl.
How about that?
Okay, let's eat.
Ouch, no, that's my finger.
That is not a worm, not a worm.
You know what I love about these owls specifically?
Tiny, can you turn like this
for the camera just a little bit?
There you go.
See how they can turn their head
180 degrees in all directions?
And look at these ear tufts.
Makes it looks just like a miniature Great Horned Owl.
So beautiful.
- [Cameraman] So how is it that
we're getting to hang out with Tiny today?
- Well Tiny is actually at
a rehabilitation center right now,
and Tiny is really good at raising other owls.
So she's been responsible for raising
several different species of owls in her little owl box,
and she is one really good mother.
And that's one thing to note about this species specifically
is that they are very caring of their young,
and I guess not even just the young of their own species,
but other owl species as well.
She's a little foster mama.
But Tiny is an owl that is permanently
in captivity at this point,
but she is a good ambassador
and mother for all bird species.
- [Cameraman] And she likes to eat mealworms.
- And fingers.
Ow!
Well this was pretty cool visiting South Africa,
and while we did see some big animals like elephants,
we also managed to feature one teeny tiny owl.
I'm Coyote Peterson.
Be brave.
Ow, stay wild.
We'll see you on the next adventure.
That hurt.
- [Cameraman] Dude, what's up?
- Oh, she pooped all over my jacket.
- [Cameraman] That means she likes you.
- Tiny!
Oh it smells like rotten eggs.
- [Cameraman] Tiny poop from a tiny bird.
- I'm bleeding, I'm pooped on.
This just seems like a typical Breaking Trail episode.
(mumbling)
- [Cameraman] But look how cute she is.
She's on your hoodie.
- Oh, Tiny.
Is she pooping in my hood?
- [Cameraman] Not yet. - [Man] Oh yeah.
She wiped on it a little spot right there.
- Alright Tiny, I think that's the end of the episode.
She's had enough.
Broke my heart, pooped all over me.
South Africa's considered a hotspot for birding
with hundreds of species constantly migrating through,
or in many cases, permanently calling the eastern cape home.
Seeing the ostrich in the wild was certainly
something I will never forget.
Reminiscent of their prehistoric relatives,
it's thrilling to imagine them as living dinosaurs.
But when it comes to feathered memories,
I will always remember my time spent
with the tiniest owl I've ever seen.
To learn more about the owls of South Africa,
make sure to visit the Caring Owls website.
Hey Coyote pack, I have some exciting news.
I am proud to announce that the crew and I
are headed back on tour with Brave Wilderness live.
Our nest shows take place in the Midwest.
Tickets can be purchased at the Brave Wilderness website,
and these shows are certain to sell out.
So make sure that you reserve your seats today.
And don't forget, subscribe so you can join me and the crew
on our next big adventure.
(uplifting music) (cheering)
I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave!
(cheering)
(animal trumpeting)
(birds tweeting)