Australasian Masked Owl vs Sooty Owl

Australasian Masked Owl

Tyto novaehollandiae

Large632 gForest

Brown feathers surround a white, heart-shaped mask. Their dorsal plumage is brown, aside from light gray spots on the upper back. Their front is white with brown spots. Their eye color varies from black to dark brown. The species have sexual dimorphism, females are darker shaded and larger than males. Male masked owls' weights ranges from 420 to 800 g (0.93 to 1.76 lb), while females are typically much larger ranging from 545 to 1,260 g (1.202 to 2.778 lb). Length ranges between 330 to 410 mm (13 to 16 in) for males and 390 to 500 mm (15 to 20 in) for females.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: P Barden · CC BY 4.0

Sooty Owl

Tyto tenebricosa

Large661 gForest

Greater sooty owls have a finely white spotted head with scattered white spots on the wings. The females are lighter colored than the males. They appear to be the heaviest of the living species in the barn owl family, however the Tasmanian subspecies of the Australian masked owl is larger still. The females' length is 41 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) and weighs 750 to 1,200 g (1.65 to 2.65 lb). The smaller male has a length of 37 to 43 cm (15 to 17 in) and weighs 500 to 700 g (1.1 to 1.5 lb). The wing length is 30–40 cm. The large dark eyes are set in a round large facial disk.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Zara · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Australasian Masked Owl and Sooty Owl.