Rufous Owl
Ninox rufa· 鸱鸮科(2 photos)
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Rufous Owl
45-55 cm; span c. 115 cm. Male larger. Large, richly coloured tropical owl with broad crown; upperparts dark rufous-brown with indistinct paler barrings; underparts orange-buff with dense, fine, rufous-brown bars; tail broadly barred above and below; eyes greenish yellow; large feet dull yellow. Female: smaller and darker. Immature: more broadly barred than adults. By day perches alone or in pairs, on robust branch of leafy tree in rainforest or swamp woodland. Can be fiercely aggressive when nesting.
- Other name
- Rufous Boobook.
- Voice
- slow 'woo-hoo!', like Powerful Owl but softer and less far-carrying; an occasional, sharp single note. Female: sheep-like bleating call.
- Habitat
- mostly lowland (but also some highland) rainforest; patches of monsoon forest; vine scrub, gallery forest along creeks; swamp woodland, mangroves; eucalypt woodlands adjacent to above habitats.
- Breeding
- June-Aug., NT; July-Nov., e. Q.
- Nest
- on debris in large hollow in trunk or large branch; 5-30 m high.
- Eggs
- 2 (3); white, glossy.
- Range & Status
- broken distribution in suitable habitat from Prince Regent R. in nw. Kimberley (WA) to Top End (NT); and from C. York Pen. (Q), s. to near Byfield (n. of Rockhampton), inland to Atherton Tableland-upper Burdekin R. and Blackdown Tableland NP, sw. of Dingo. Dark race queenslandica occurs in ne. Q, s. of c. Cooktown. Rare. Sedentary. Also PNG, Aru Is.
- Distribution key to races
- 1. Ninox rufa rufa 2. Ninox rufa meesi 3. Ninox rufa queenslandica
