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Large owl with prominent facial disc and very powerful legs.
VIC: Vulnerable; QLD: Endangered; NT: Critically Endangered
Sensitive species — location data may be restricted
At a glance
FamilyBarn-Owls
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatTimbered edges, open forest, suburban gardens with mature trees, and lightly wooded scrub.
Best timeReported across most months in New South Wales, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Marc Anderson
Range map
Range map
1070visible hotspots
3732visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Variable in size and color, ranging from larger, browner birds in Tasmania through to smaller, paler birds in northwestern Australia. This species is generally larger, darker, larger-legged, and more heavily spotted than Barn Owl.
Behavior
Nests in a variety of habitats; requires hollows of very large trees for nest sites, and these may be in both drier and wetter forest types. Call includes a loud explosive hiss.
Gallery