Alternative names: Manus Owl; Admiralty Islands Masked Owl
- Tyto manusi
Identification
33-46 cm, wingspan about 90 cm. The only Tyto owl on Manus.
- Prominent facial disc
- Black eyes
- Dark buffy-brown upperparts
- Rufescent brownish-buff underparts with large blackish spots
- Black tail with narrow, irregular yellowish-brown bars
Females are larger than males. Juveniles undescribed.
Distribution
Endemic to Manus Island (Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea).
A little known restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Forms a superspecies with Minahasa Masked Owl, Taliabu Masked Owl, Lesser Masked Owl, Golden Masked Owl and Australian Masked Owl.
Habitat
Occurs in rainforest, probably only in hilly terrain at higher elevations.
Recorded roosting in caves.
Behaviour
Diet
Diet undescribed but feeds probably on small rodents, other small vertebrates and large insects.
Breeding
No information available. Nests presumably in tree-hollows.
Movements
Presumably a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Manus Masked Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Manus_Masked_Owl
