- Ninox japonica
Identification
27 - 33cm. A medium sized owl which resembles a hawk with its long tail and wings. Face dark with a small white patch between the yellow eyes. Plumage dark brown, barred tail, buffish-white to uniform dark belly, according to subspecies. Sexes similar, but male smaller than female.
Told from other Ninox Owls by lack of white spots on back and dark head.
Distribution
Found in south-eastern Siberia, northern and eastern China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Winters to south-eastern Asia including Greater and Lesser Sundas.
Taxonomy
Was formerly considerd conspecific with Brown Hawk-Owl.
Subspecies[1]
Two subspecies recognized:
- N j. florensis: breeds southeastern Siberia, northeastern China (southeastern Heilongjiang to Hebei), and northern Korea; winters in Greater and Lesser Sundas
- N j. japonica: breeds eastern China, central and southern Korea, and Japan (including Ryukyu Islands), winters in the Greater and Lesser Sundas; also resident on Taiwan and Lanyu Island, population on Taiwan may represent a separate taxon
Habitat
Forest. Wide variety of different forest types throughout range (e.g. rainforest, deciduous, evergreen, coniferous forest, even plantations, parks and suburbs.
Behavior
Nocturnal. Roosts by day singly or in pairs in thick canopy.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects (dragonflies, moths), catched in the air. Takes also crabs, lizards, amphibians, small birds, small mammals (including bats). Hunts in clearings, forest egdes or cultivated area.
Breeding
Nests in a tree hole. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Northern Boobook. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Northern_Boobook
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
