From Ali Alieslam

Mar 5, 2025

I have spent another 10 nights searching for majestic Omani Owl (Strix butleri) in the mountains of central Iran. This time, around the northern regions of famous city of Shiraz. As a strategy, i tried to search complete new locations to expand my understanding of the species extension range!

Observation took place in over 18 diffrent spots in nearly 10 main mountainous regions and result was to find 4 new birds in 3 locations. These included one active breeding pair close to their potential nesting site and two females in two different rock cliffs.

For almost three nights i witnessed one of the less-seen courtship behaviours of this hardly known species. Hooting of one individual Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) was heard nerby on the same valley of active Omani Owl pair site which suggest these two species can co-exist close to each other!

Despite the very cold temperature for such place (+ 3 to -4 C); birds were active. In one spot -where i found one individual female- the hooting of Eurasian eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) also heard following mid-night to very early morning.