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It’s really exciting when you spot wildlife that you didn’t think you’d be able to experience, but every now and then, something comes along that feels almost impossible. It becomes a moment when you take a double look, wipe your eyes, pinch yourself, wondering if what you’re looking at is even possible. Especially when the wildlife in question isn’t supposed to be there in the first place.
That’s exactly what happened in one area, where several sightings of a “majestic” bird went unexplained. There were several reports when one wildlife content creator put all the puzzle pieces together after catching a once-in-a-lifetime sighting of one of the world’s largest owls, and the pictures are incredible. Take a look!
On March 31, 2026, BBC News reported that a giant owl from Wild Zoological Park in the UK had escaped the enclosure, and since she can obviously fly, tracking her down to bring her home wasn’t easy.
She’s native to the southern parts of Africa, so this female Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl is not what you would expect to see up in the pine trees of Wolverhampton, a city in central England in the West Midlands, just northwest of Birmingham.
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One of the people in the area who spotted this rare, giant owl in the wild, where you’d never expect it, was wildlife content creator James Cook, who spoke with the BBC after sharing videos and photos of the incredible Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl on social media.
“It’s a very imposing, impressive thing to see. I was in awe,” he said to the BBC. “After a quick search, there it was, sitting in the tree looking all majestic and glorious.”
In the comments, people shared in James’ joy at spotting this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Some comments included, “Your joy is glorious,” “Truly magical,” “Gorgeous, gorgeous bird,” “I have never seen an owl in real life. This is beautiful,” and “How cool?! We can’t even catch a glimpse of the tawny’s that visit our street!”
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The Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl Is an Apex Predator From Africa
It would be impressive to see this incredible bird anywhere, but of course, it’s even more extraordinary when you realize that people in the UK saw it perched in a tree in their neighborhood.
According to ThePeregrine Fund, the Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl is the largest in Africa and is usually found throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, in countries including Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Botswana, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Tanzania, among others.
It’s a big owl, according to The Penegrine Fund, rocking a body length of 26 inches and an impressive wingspan up to 65 inches. If you live in the UK and spot one of these in the wild, that’s essentially like winning the lottery!
This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Apr 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.