Bird
Australian Boobook
Ninox boobookAlso known as Southern Boobook, Mopoke, Spotted Owl, Boobook Owl
Australian boobooks are compact, highly adaptable nocturnal hunters recognized by their piercing pale greenish-yellow eyes and rhythmic, two-tone territorial calls echoing through the bush at dusk. They roost quietly in dense foliage, tree hollows, or rocky crevices during the day, relying on streaked brown plumage to melt into the bark. Once night falls, they actively hawk aerial insects and swoop down from exposed perches to snatch small vertebrates from the ground.
NocturnalCarnivorousCamouflaged
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyBeetles and Moths, House Mouse, Microbats
Predators
- Powerful Owl
- Feral Cat
- Red Fox
ThreatsSecondary poisoning from rodenticides, loss of hollow-bearing trees, and vehicle collisions
HabitatsEucalypt woodlands, dry forests, semi-arid scrub, rainforest margins, and suburban parks
Life span10–15 years in the wild
Classification
- FamilyStrigidae
- SpeciesNinox boobook
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listening: Tune in at dusk and dawn for the unmistakable, rhythmic two-tone hoot.
- Spotting: Use a dim red flashlight to scan lower tree branches without blinding them.
- Nesting etiquette: Keep a respectful distance from large tree hollows during spring breeding.
Predator JJ Harrison / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) strewick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by strewick · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Andrew Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Allen · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
Keep collecting in Fauna
Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Australian Boobook is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
—/7
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.