The Q8 Owl Group is the first its kind in Kuwait and the region.

The Q8 Owl Group

Breeding or keeping owls as pets is a new phenomenon in Kuwait, although wild owls can be found in the country. In August 2016, a group of owl breeders was formed with nine members. Since then, the team has participated in various activities in Kuwait to spread this passion and let more learn more about these unique and interesting birds.

The Q8 Owl Group is the first its kind in Kuwait and the region. Osama Al-Anezi, its founder, owns a bird shop and bought his first owl last year. "After I bought the owl, my friends liked this beautiful bird and bought owls also. So I came up with the idea of establishing this group so we can gather for various activities. More people have become familiar with owls and want to own one, especially since it's a friendly bird," he told Kuwait Times.

Owls tend to be solitary birds but a gathering is known as a 'parliament'.  In Kuwait, the owl group members hope to enlighten the community about the value and benefits of owning owls as pets.

Most brought their owls from legal traders in the UK, with their certificates. "The owl is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We buy them from farms in the UK when they are very young - only a few months old. The owl starts reproducing when it's older than three years. It can lay eggs once or twice a year - between two to 10 eggs each time depending on its kind. It's better to have a baby owl rather than an adult one so that it acclimatizes to the local environment," he said.

Wild owls protected

Owls also live in the desert of Kuwait, but they are wild and cannot be domesticated. "There are about six species of owl in Kuwait. They are protected by the environment law that forbids hunting them. People should respect this law and refrain from hunting it, as they may seriously harm its reproduction. The owl has only one partner for its entire life, so if somebody kills one, its partner will stay lonely and will never reproduce," explained Anezi.

He also warned against hunting owls in the Kuwaiti natural environment, as owls maintain the environmental balance by preying on around 1,500 mice every year. According to Anezi, an owl lives between 20 to 50 years and is an expensive bird. "There is no difference between the genders regarding their lifespan; but size-wise, the female is larger. There are about 250 types of owl around the world, and their prices range between KD 250 and KD 600. The most expensive kind is called 'milky' and costs around KD 1,000, but only lays two eggs every year," he pointed out.

"Membership in the group is open to any person who owns an owl. Around 20 new members will join the group after they receive their owls. The group participates in various events during the entire year, but during summer we only hold indoor events, as the owls can't stand Kuwait's heat," noted Anezi.

Owls as pets

Keeping an owl as a pet is not expensive. "My owl costs me around KD 15 a month. It eats only one meal per day. As they are birds of prey, they only eat meat, but it can be frozen and doesn't have to be live prey, as most people think. I feed them chicks, and depending on the size of the owl, it eats between two to five chicks daily. Besides the food, it needs nutrition, vitamins and shampoo, which are included in the budget," he said.

Taking care of the owl is also very simple. "The owl lives at home and doesn't need any special equipment. It only needs a stand, on which it perches and sleeps as well. I shower it once a week while standing on the stand and it dries by itself. All the tools and needs of the owl can be bought in shops that sell falcon needs," Anezi told Kuwait Times.

In the Arab world, people consider the owl to be a symbol of misfortune and an ominous bird, while in Europe it's the opposite, as they say an owl brings good luck.

"People here say this about the owl as it lives in abandoned places and makes strange sounds. People have a lack of information, as the owl is a very friendly bird that lives in harmony with pets and kids, and will never be dangerous," stressed Anezi. "We will soon contact the Guinness Book of World Records to register our group as the first with the largest number of members in the Middle East. Membership in our group is open and we welcome any owl owner to join us," he reiterated.

By Nawara Fattahova