Bird Guide

Barking Owl vs Brown Boobook

Barking Owl (Ninox connivens)

Barking Owl

Ninox connivens

Large578 gForest

The barking owl is coloured brown with white spots on its wings and a vertically streaked chest. They have large eyes that have a yellow iris, a discrete facial mask and yellow skin on the feet. Their underparts are brownish-grey and coarsely spotted white with their tail and flight feathers being strongly banded brown and white. They are a robust, medium-sized owl 39–44 cm (15–17 in) long and their wingspan is between 85 and 120 cm (33 and 47 in). They weigh between 380 and 960 g (13 and 34 oz). Voice: Most people hear the barking owl rather than see it as it has a loud and explosive voice. The main territorial vocalisation is in the form of a double 'hoot', similar in pattern to the other Australian hawk owls. It sounds like a double dog bark, so closely resembling a small dog that it is difficult to tell the difference. The barking owl name is derived from these calls.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Vicki Nunn · Public domain
Brown Boobook (Ninox scutulata)

Brown Boobook

Ninox scutulata

Medium191 gForest

The brown boobook is a medium-sized owl with a length of 32 cm (13 in). It has a hawk-like shape due to its long tail and lack of a distinct facial disk. The upperparts are dark brown, with a barred tail. The underparts are whitish with reddish-brown streaking, although the subspecies found in the Andaman Islands has dark brown underparts. The eyes are large and yellow. Sexes are similar. The call is a repeated low soft, musical oo-uk ...ooo-uk.. .

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Brown Boobook
Recorded by Manoj Karingamadathil · Call · Choorakkattukara, Thrissur, Kerala, India · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Gillam · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Barking Owl and Brown Boobook.