About the Australian Boobook
The Australian boobook, is a species of owl native to mainland Australia, southern New Guinea, the island of Timor, and the Sunda Islands. Described by John Latham in 1801, it was generally considered to be the same species as the morepork of New Zealand until 1999. Its name is derived from its two-tone boo-book call. Eight subspecies of the Australian boobook are recognized, with three further subspecies being reclassified as separate species in 2019 due to their distinctive calls and genetics.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The smallest owl on the Australian mainland, the Australian boobook is 27 to 36 cm (10.5 to 14 in) long. The nominate subspecies is the largest. It has short, rounded wings and a short tail, with a compact silhouette in flight. Australian boobooks on the Australian mainland follow Bergmann's rule, in that birds from cooler and more southerly parts of the range tend to be larger. Thus, birds from the Canberra region weigh around 300 g (11 oz) while those from the Cape York Peninsula and Broome are around 200 g (7.1 oz).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Australian Boobook sounds like
Where the Australian Boobook lives
When to see the Australian Boobook
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
MoreporkNinox novaeseelandiaeThe morepork is 26 to 29 cm (10 to 11.5 in) long, with the female slightly larger than the male.
Northern BoobookNinox japonicaNinox japonica is a hawk owl species with a body length averaging between 29 and 33 cm and a wingspan of approximately 60 to 70 cm wide.
Powerful OwlNinox strenuaThe powerful owl has a long tail and a small head, giving it an atypical silhouette for an owl and imparting a more hawk-like appearance than any other large owl.
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