Habits
Singly or in pairs, occasionally in family groups.
Food
Mammals, birds, insects and sometimes fish.
Voice
A quick, dog-like 'wok-wok' or 'wook-wook', preceded by a growl, soft at first, becoming emphatic, loud and far-carrying. Sometimes in duet, male calling deeper, female calling quicker and sharper. A human-like, wavering, sobbing scream in the breeding season.
Nest
In a hollow limb or hole in a tree. Occasionally in an old rabbit burrow.
Eggs (Guide)
2 - 3; pure white; spherical; about 40 - 45 x 35 - 40 mm. Incubation: 34 - 38 days; by female which begins with laying of first egg. Eggs are laid at two - three nightly intervals.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 56 days.
Subspecies
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
connivens (Latham, 1801) - South-western Australia and coastal south-eastern Australia, north to the base of Cape York Peninsula.
peninsularis Salvadori, 1876 - Coastal and subcoastal northern Australia, including Cape York Peninsula.
assimilis Salvadori and D'Albertis, 1875 - Eastern New Guinea.
Similar Species
In northern Australia with paler Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) which is distinctly smaller, has more closely streaked upper breast, a more prominent pale area on the forehead and a darker face mask and Brown Hawk-Owl (Ninox scutulata) which is much smaller, more barring on the undertail, and has a white mark over the bill.
References
See References.
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