Itombwe Owl Tyto prigoginei

A medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped face that is mostly rusty-brown with scattered black-and-white spots; bill is yellowish. One of Earth’s rarest birds, it has only been encountered a handful of times in montane Albertine Rift forest with bamboo, including forest edge. Call unknown, but a record of a bird calling similarly to Oriental Bay-Owl and a “wok-wok-wok” reported from Rwanda may be this species. Similar Western Barn Owl and African Grass Owl are larger than Itombwe Owl, preferring more open areas.