Australian Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) [XC326933]
by Greg McLachlan from Ridgeway, Hobart City Council, Tasmania, Australia (call)
Australian Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) [XC673829]
by Zebedee Muller from Lune River, Huon Valley Council, Tasmania, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Throughout the year but mainly April - July.
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Nest
In a large hollow in a tree, usually high up. In arid treeless regions it will ocasionally use a cave or blow-hole.
Eggs (Guide)
Usually 3 - 5; off-white; ellipsoidal; about 43 - 50 x 35 - 38 mm. Incubation: about 35 days; by female. Eggs are laid on alternate nights.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 70 - 84 days. Brooded by female for first two weeks then by both parents.
Subspecies
Subspecies, sorocula, cayelii and manusi, are sometimes considered as separate species.
Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) and Tasmanian Masked-Owl (Tyto castanops) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Tyto novaehollandiae following Christidis and Boles (1994).
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) - South-eastern Qld, eastern New South Wales, Vic., southern SA and southern WA.
castanops (Gould, 1837) - Tasmania, Maria Island. Introduced to Lord Howe Island. Also Maatsuyker I, where perhaps only vagrant. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Tasmanian Masked-Owl (Tyto castanops).
kimberli Mathews, 1912 - North-eastern Qld, Cape York Peninsula, northern NT and north-eastern WA.
melvillensis Mathews, 1912 - Melville Island and Bathhurst Island.
calabyi Mason, IJ, 1983 - Southern New Guinea, in southern Trans-Fly region, from Merauke area to Tarara and Daru I.
sorocula (P. L. Sclater, 1883) - Tanimbar Island. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Lechuza de las Tanimbar (Tyto sororcula).
cayelii (Hartert, 1900) - Buru. Also Seram (probably this race). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Lechuza de las Tanimbar (Tyto sororcula).
manusi Rothschild and Hartert, 1914 - Manus I. (Admiralty Islands). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Manus Masked Owl (Tyto manusi).
galei Mathews, 1914 - North-eastern Queensland (north-eastern Cape York Peninsula).
Similar Species
Light morphs with Barn Owl (Tyto alba) which appears to have longer and thinner legs with less feathering and has a more heart-shaped facial disk with a less definite outline.
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet