Pel’s Fishing-Owl (Scotopelia peli) This is a large owl, almost the size of the Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl. In South Africa it is restricted to the large rivers in the Lowveld, where it occurs sparsely. Needs large trees with overhanging branches from where it hunts by making a long, low strike over the water, or simply dropping straight down into the water. Hunts mainly fish, up to 2kg in size, but also baby Nile Crocodiles, crabs and mussels. It is often mobbed by African Fish Eagles of the latter discovers its roost.