Mackinder's (or Kenyan) Eagle Owl

Watercolor, 31″ x 23″, on Legion Special Handmade, rough 300lb: $5,000

The Mackinder’s eagle owl (Bubo capensis mackinderi)

About MacKinder’s Eagle Owls

The Kenyan, or Mackinder’s eagle owl, is a subspecies of the eagle owl. Mackinder’s eagle owls in central Kenya are generalist predators capable of exploiting an agricultural niche that is devoid of most other predators.  

This is a large owl, (the largest of the eagle owls), though intermediate in size among other large Bubo owls. Its total length ranges from 46 to 61 cm (18 to 24 in). Males weigh from 905 to 1,387 g (1.995 to 3.058 lb) while the larger females range from 1,240 to 1,800 g (2.73 to 3.97 lb).[4] The wing chord measures 34.3–41.8 cm (13.5–16.5 in) while the tail measures 15.5–26.6 cm (6.1–10.5 in). This owl is dark brown above with prominent ear-tufts and yellow or yellowish-orange eyes. 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. Both the tail and wing feathers are barred with light and dark brown. The toes and tarsi are densely feathered, with the little visible skin being brown above and yellowish below the feet.

About the MacKinder’s Eagle Owl at KBOP

The male Mackinder’s rescued by Kenya Bird Of Prey Trust was discovered tangled in horticultural plastic and had poked its eye out. It is comfortably housed next to some verreux eagle owls in their Naivasha sanctuary, and is begrudgingly tolerant of human interaction (as opposed to a verrueax, raised from a chick, which has become part of the human family at the trust.

Range Map of the MacKinder’s Eagle Owl

About the painting:

I saw the MacKinders on a trip to the trust and was impressed by its sheer bulk and presence, though he was a bit camera shy, so I resorted to Getty images for a stock photo as my core reference.

After blocking in the deep indigo/purple background I began the painstaking process of laying in wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry feathers, one at a time to build the particular, ruffled appearance. The reflections in the eyes were especially successful (IMHO), and I was pleased by the dull, rough texture of the beak. Without strong side lighting to create cast shadows in my reference I was less able to build a strong sense of depth or solidity, but I’m happy enough with the detailing and textures.

I gave him his missing eye back too, for aesthetic reasons.

Painting in progress: Eyers complete.

My Mackinder’s Eagle Owl Conservation Commitment

25% of all proceeds 

from “Mackinder’s Eagle Owl” artwork and merchandise goes to Kenya Bird of Prey Trust for their Raptor Rescue programmes.

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What We Do

The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust strives to work with partners to:

  • actively manage raptors in their natural environment
  • understand raptor ecology and movements better
  • restore populations through rescue, rehabilitation & conservation, and
  • educate people in order to limit raptor persecution.

With the permission and partnership of the Kenya Wildlife Service, we are responsible for the care of a variety of raptors in two raptor centres.

Rescue & Rehabilitation

We have a network of centres and holding facilities across Kenya dedicated to caring for raptors in need and use our base in Lake Naivasha as a medical clinic and long-term accomodation.

Education & Capacity Building

We provide training and capacity building to Nature Kenya, BirdLife Kenya, National Museums of Kenya, the Peregrine Fund, Kenya Wildlife Service, and community members.

Monitoring & Research

In our monitoring and research efforts we use the latest methods and technologies to improve our understanding of species’ populations and ecology to directly inform their conservation.

Raptor Conservation

We focus on conservation issues such as powerlines, poisoning, and persecution and engage in the mitigation of human-caused raptor mortality and we identify and preserve key raptor habitats. 

Kwenia Vulture sanctuary

Kwenia, at the southern end of the Rift Valley, is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA – BirdLife International.) It is home to the largest breeding population of Rüppell’s vultures in southern Kenya.

Other endangered raptors live here too – the Egyptian Vulture, Taita Falcon, Peregrine Falcon and Lanner Falcon, Verreaux Eagle, and Mountain Kestrel. With funding from Biome (International Conservation Fund of Canada) KBoPT is financing a deal with local Maasai landowners to develop a breeding sanctuary.

Deadly Power Lines

Our Mission

Our mission is to secure healthy raptor populations in Kenya.​ To achieve this we need to protect critical raptor habitats, manage and restore raptor populations and educate people on the value and importance of raptors.

Unshielded power lines are deadly to raptors, but can be totally safe if constructed with wildlife and birds in mind.

For a decade, the Trust has been advocating for bird-safe power lines. Power-pole electrocutions are the greatest threat to certain perching raptors.