Coastal and subcoastal south-eastern Queensland (southern from R Dawson), eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Victoria to extreme south-eastern South Australia.
South-eastern Queensland to eastern and southern Victoria.
Food
Mammals (mainly possums and gliders) and occasionally birds.
Voice
Male: a low, slow, far-carrying 'whoo-hooo', the second note usually lower. Female: higher-pitched, second note higher. Also sheep-like bleating near nest.
Nest
A slight depression in the wood-mould at the base of a cavity in a large tree, usually one growing on a hillside in dense forest, the entrance up to 30 meters above the ground.
Eggs (Guide)
2; pure white; spherical; about 50 x 45 mm. Incubation: 35 - 38 days; by female which begins with laying of first egg. Eggs are laid four nights apart.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 56 - 63 days.
Subspecies
Sometimes considered to form superspecies with Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa).
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
(44Kb) © ? (
BirdLife International Species Factsheet