Little Sumba Boobook
Ninox sumbaensis
The Little Sumba Boobook (Ninox sumbaensis) is a legendary owl found only in Indonesia, weighing about 90 g. The least boobook, also known as the little Sumba hawk-owl or little Sumba boobook, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.
About the Little Sumba Boobook
The least boobook, also known as the little Sumba hawk-owl or little Sumba boobook, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumba. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The least boobook is about 23 cm (9.1 in) long and weighs 90 g (3.2 oz). The head is grey with fine dark barring and distinctive white eyebrows but an indistinct facial disc. The beak is large and yellow, the eyes are yellow and there are no eartufts. The upper parts are light brown with widely separated, dark wavy markings and the underparts are whitish with fine dark chevrons. The tail is pale reddish-brown with dark barring. The legs and talons are yellow. This bird is smaller and has relatively longer wings than the Sumba boobook (Ninox rudolfi) which also occurs on the island.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: March, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in August. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Little Sumba Boobook?
- The least boobook is about 23 cm (9.1 in) long and weighs 90 g (3.2 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Little Sumba Boobook?
- The Little Sumba Boobook is a medium sized bird weighing about 90 g.
- Where can you see a Little Sumba Boobook?
- The Little Sumba Boobook is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Little Sumba Boobook?
- The Little Sumba Boobook is most easily confused with the Cebu Boobook, the New Britain Boobook and the Tanimbar Boobook.
- Is the Little Sumba Boobook endangered?
- The Little Sumba Boobook is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Little Sumba Boobook for real
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