(scotopelia peli)
The Pel's Fishing Owl is simply one of the most stunning birds you will ever see. It is huge, only the largest of the Eagle Owls is bigger. On the Gabon trip we saw an amazing count of 8 birds, one at Lope NP and the rest at Loango. It is mostly a nocturnal owl, roosting by day in shady spots in large trees near water. However, at Loango we saw several in daylight including the amazing bird whose photos are shown here. We flushed this bird from a roost along the river bank and it flew across the river to an open perch from which it glared down at us as we drifted past on the current. Truly an unforgettable experience.