Luzon Hawk-Owl (Ninox philippensis) [XC30725]
by David Edwards from Angat, Luzon, Philippines (call)
Luzon Hawk-Owl (Ninox philippensis) [XC433918]
by brendan sloan from Sibaliw Research Station Panay, Philippines (call)
Subspecies
Relationships unclear; possibly close to Ochre-bellied Boobook (Ninox ochracea). Subspecific divisions uncertain and confused, and subspecies sometimes combined into three groups based on apparent relationships: philippensis with proxima and centralis; spilocephala with reyi; and spilonota with mindorensis with these groups sometimes being treated as three separate species. Other authors merge subspecies as indicated by those groupings, treating only nominate, spilocephala and spilonota as valid, or with mindorensis as additional subspecies. Subspecies mindorensis, moreover, has recently been found to be quite distinct in plumage and voice, and may be a full species. Another recent proposal groups mindorensis and spilonota with reyi, despite the fact that latter usually allied with spilocephala. This new grouping of bar-bellied forms, inhabiting a considerable number of smaller islands, would include at least two unnamed subspecies, and may constitute a separate, polytypic species, for which the name reyi has priority.
Proposed subspecies everetti of Siasi synonymous with reyi.
spilocephala Tweeddale, 1879 - Basilan, Mindanao, Dinagat, Siargao. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Mindanao Boobook (Ninox spilocephala).
reyi Oustalet, 1880 - Sulu Archipelago. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Sulu Boobook (Ninox reyi).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet