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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
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| Est. World Population: | 100-200 |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Critically Endangered |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
| Tail Length: | |
| Shoulder Height: | |
| Weight: | |
| Top Speed: | |
| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
| Litter Size: | |
| Gestation Period: | |
Habitat:
The typical habitat of the species in Morocco is permanent wetlands surrounded by well-developed marsh vegetation (Bergier and Thevenot 1991), especially in coastal wetlands (Thevenot et al. 2003), but also in cereal fields (El Agbani and Qninba 2011) rice fields (K. Rousselon 2019 pers. obs.) and in forest habitats (Hanane and Cherkaoui 2014). The breeding season in the area lasts from the end of February to the end of May (Thevenot et al. 2003). It nests on the ground, exceptionally in trees in old corvid nests, and lays an average clutch of 3.22 eggs with a hatching rate of 78%; with young birds recorded from April to June (Bergier and Thevenot 1991).
The diet changes from one site to another and includes micromammals and invertebrates, but in largely unspoilt wetlands it consists mainly of insects (Bergier and Thevenot 1991). The species is mainly sedentary but some birds make long dispersive movements (Bergier and Thevenot 1991) even to Spain (De Juana and García 2015). The habitat of the recent breeding record from Mamora forest consists of a dense forest of Quercus suber with a high shrubland of Chamaerops humilis and Cistus sp. (Hanane and Cherkaoui 2014).
The diet changes from one site to another and includes micromammals and invertebrates, but in largely unspoilt wetlands it consists mainly of insects (Bergier and Thevenot 1991). The species is mainly sedentary but some birds make long dispersive movements (Bergier and Thevenot 1991) even to Spain (De Juana and García 2015). The habitat of the recent breeding record from Mamora forest consists of a dense forest of Quercus suber with a high shrubland of Chamaerops humilis and Cistus sp. (Hanane and Cherkaoui 2014).
Range:
Asio capensis is a widespread Afrotropical owl occurring over large areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, with isolated populations of the subspecies A. c. ssp. tingitanus in North Africa, which is endemic to this area. In North Africa, the Marsh Owl currently occurs in Morocco, though it formerly bred in Algeria (Thevenot et al. 2003, Isenmann and Moali 2000).
In Morocco, the species was present from Tangier to Essaoiura and Fez, but currently it occurs on the plains and hills of northern and central parts of the Atlantic coast, between Tangier and Essaouira and inland around Meknes, where it shows an almost exclusive use of marsh vegetation in littoral wetlands (Bergier and Thevenot 1991, Thevenot et al. 2003). To date there are five breeding localities: Merja Zerga, Lower Loukkos, Sidi-Boughaba and Tahaddart estuary in wetlands (MaghrebOrnitho 2014, 2018), and the Mamora Forest in an unknown forest habitat, which could be a new colonisation (Hanane and Cherkaoui 2014).
In Morocco, the species was present from Tangier to Essaoiura and Fez, but currently it occurs on the plains and hills of northern and central parts of the Atlantic coast, between Tangier and Essaouira and inland around Meknes, where it shows an almost exclusive use of marsh vegetation in littoral wetlands (Bergier and Thevenot 1991, Thevenot et al. 2003). To date there are five breeding localities: Merja Zerga, Lower Loukkos, Sidi-Boughaba and Tahaddart estuary in wetlands (MaghrebOrnitho 2014, 2018), and the Mamora Forest in an unknown forest habitat, which could be a new colonisation (Hanane and Cherkaoui 2014).
Conservation:
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II.
Conservation Actions Proposed
1) Develop a Conservation Action Plan to conserve and recover breeding locations which include a population and habitat viability assessment and prospection to find new populations.
2) Strict and effective protection of all known breeding sites, avoiding destruction of vegetation of wetlands especially for agricultural purposes and due to fire.
3) Raise awareness of local ornithological guides to avoid disturbances to the breeding and wintering population, especially in Merja Zerga establishing best practice guidelines to birdwatching, including a ban during the breeding season.
4) Conduct monitoring of populations to determine, protect and manage key breeding, wintering and dispersal sites.
5) Provide road signage in areas of high risk of traffic killing (near breeding sites) to reduce driving speed and warn drivers of the presence of Marsh Owls.
6) Analyse the feasibility of a captive breeding programme to reinforce the extant populations, and reintroduction in suitable localities where it is extinct.
CITES Appendix II.
Conservation Actions Proposed
1) Develop a Conservation Action Plan to conserve and recover breeding locations which include a population and habitat viability assessment and prospection to find new populations.
2) Strict and effective protection of all known breeding sites, avoiding destruction of vegetation of wetlands especially for agricultural purposes and due to fire.
3) Raise awareness of local ornithological guides to avoid disturbances to the breeding and wintering population, especially in Merja Zerga establishing best practice guidelines to birdwatching, including a ban during the breeding season.
4) Conduct monitoring of populations to determine, protect and manage key breeding, wintering and dispersal sites.
5) Provide road signage in areas of high risk of traffic killing (near breeding sites) to reduce driving speed and warn drivers of the presence of Marsh Owls.
6) Analyse the feasibility of a captive breeding programme to reinforce the extant populations, and reintroduction in suitable localities where it is extinct.