Alternative names: White-browed Boobook; White-browed Hawk-Owl
- Athene superciliaris
Ninox superciliaris
Identification
23-30 cm. A medium-sized owl.
- Round brownish head
- Inconspicuous tan-grey facial disc
- Prominent white eyebrows and white speckles on crown
- Uniform brown upperparts with some white speckles, mostly on wing coverts
- White underparts with uniform brown bars
- Dark brown irides
- Pale yellowish-brown cere
- Yellowish-green bill
- Yellowish toes
Sexes similar. Juveniles similar to adults but with narrower bars on underparts.
Distribution
Endemic to Madagascar.
Fairly common in dry forest of western and southern Madagascar, less common in other parts.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Formerly placed in the genus Ninox.
Habitat
Found in a variety of forested habitats including semi-arid thorn scrub. Also found in villages.
Occurs from sea-level up to 800 m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects. Takes also amphibians, reptiles, small birds and small mammals.
A strictly nocturnal species. Hunts from a perch, overlooking an open space.
Breeding
Poorly known. Breeding season probably October to December. Two described nests were in tree cavities, one inside the forest, the other at the forest edge. Lays 3 to 5 eggs.
Movements
A resident species. Wanderers to northern Madagascar are probably dispersing immatures.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-browed Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-browed_Owl
