Lesser Sooty-Owl (Tyto multipunctata)

Other Names (World)
Lesser Sooty-Owl, Sooty Owl(!), Silver Owl, Lesser Sooty Owl

Family
Tytonidae (Barn-owls)

Size
33 - 37 cm

First Described (Guide)
Mathews, 1912

Derivation
T�'-to - Gk, tyto, night owl: mul-ti-punc-tä'-ta - L., multipunctatus, many spots

Habitat
Tropical rainforest, including mesophyll and notophyll vine forests. Often around stands of tall emergent eucalypt growing within the rainforests.

Range (Guide)

Australia (B).

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2011).

Status LC
Habitat destruction for agriculture is the main threat. Estimated population is unknown (2010).

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Mammals (mainly possums and gliders).

Voice
A weird, far-carrying, descending strident or mellow whistle, like the sound of a falling bomb, like that of the Greater Sooty-Owl (Tyto tenebricosa), but higher pitched and softer. Also trills, chirrups and screams.

(31Kb) © ? (1)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (10)...)

Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) [XC352821]
by Marc Anderson from Tully Falls National Park, Queensland, Australia (call, song)

Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) [XC173102]
by Marc Anderson from Mount Hypipamee NP, Atherton Tableland Qld, Australia (call)

Nest
In a hollow of a tree, mainly eucalypts, usually high up.

Eggs (Guide)
1, usually 2; pure white; spherical; about 41 - 42 x 36 - 39 mm.

Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 90 days.

Subspecies
Not recognized by BirdLife International. Greater Sooty-Owl (Tyto tenebricosa) and Lesser Sooty-Owl (Tyto multipunctata) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993, Christidis and Boles 1994) have been lumped into Tyto tenebricosa following Norman et al. (2002) and Christidis and Boles (2008).

Forms superspecies with Greater Sooty-Owl (Tyto tenebricosa), and until 1981 treated as conspecific.

Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Greater Sooty-Owl (Tyto tenebricosa).

No subspecies.

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

Files:

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BirdLife International

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