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Barking OwlAlternate name(s): "Winking Owl", "Screaming Woman" ![]() Size: 39-44 cm; wing span 85-120 cm Weight: 380-960 g |
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Similar species |
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See Barking
Owl at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
Race "connivens"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a large adult male Barking Owl resting
(photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Chatswood, NSW, September 2007]
Lateral view of a male Barking Owl; identification of the
genders was made by the birds' behaviour - the male is less
attached to the nesting hollow and the chick and is therefore
more easily spooked; this bird was hustled at the time of the
observations by a bunch of Noisy Friarbirds
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
The same male Barking Owl as shown above, now with its head turned back
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
The same male Barking Owl as shown above, now with its head turned back
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
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FEMALE |
Near-frontal view of a female Barking Owl; note how Barking Owls
have a very inconspicuous fringe around their head to help them
focus on sounds made by their prey; instead they have very prominent
eyes, which may suggest predominantly visual target acquisition
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Here the same female Barking Owl, now with its head turned back; this shot
shows most clearly the raptor's beak - also very prominent are the
powerful talons, the bird's most powerful weapon
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Dorsal view of the same female Barking Owl as above...
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Female Barking Owl looking at the observer
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
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PAIR |
Frontal view of a pair of Barking Owls - note
that in this species males are bigger than females,
so the male is on the left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bunyaville Conservation Park, Brisbane, QLD, May 2020]
Frontal view of a pair of Barking Owls
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bunyaville Conservation Park, Brisbane, QLD, May 2020]
Near-frontal view of a pair of Barking Owls; now the male
has also opened its eyes (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bunyaville Conservation Park, Brisbane, QLD, May 2020]
Sex unknown |
Dorsal view of a Barking Owl roosting in a casuarina (photo courtesy
of M. Windeyer)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, November 2016]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a fledgling Barking Owl on its first day
out of the nest
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
The same fledgling Barking Owl as above, now with its head turned
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Fledgling Barking Owl here seen more laterally...
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
... and now seen looking slightly upwards
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Frontal view of a Barking Owl in captivity; one can see clearly the
bird's underwing pattern (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Race "peninsularis"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Close-up lateral view of a large adult male Barking Owl
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]
Lateral view of a large adult male Barking Owl
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]
Dorsal view of a large adult male Barking Owl
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of an adult Barking Owl (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, NT, July 2013]
The same Barking Owl as shown above, now seen preening
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Barking Owl looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Manton Dam, 50 km S of Darwin, NT, March 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Barking Owl looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Manton Dam, 50 km S of Darwin, NT, March 2020]
Dorsal view of a Barking Owl looking at the ground
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Manton Dam, 50 km S of Darwin, NT, March 2020]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jul - Oct | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 36 days | Fledging age: 35 - 42 days |
The breeding season depends on geographical latitude. It is from July to September in the North and August to October in the South.
Nest building: Male (female) | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female |
While the male may prepare the nest, the female has all the subsequent duties like incubation and caring for the chicks. While the female incubates the eggs and tends to the needs of the hatchlings, the male feeds her. During daytime he will then roost somewhere close to the nest, possibly with prey in one of its talons. As the chicks grow up, about 2 weeks prior to hatching, the female leaves the nest and stays close to the nesting hollow. If there are chicks, both parents will be seen near the nesting hollow, being attentive. The loss of their brood can be diagnosed by a decline in their interest in the nesting hollow.
The single chick of the pair described here hatched in early December 2011, 2 weeks and 4 days after the female had emerged and just after a major rain event. The parents are one of only 2 pairs (out of 28 monitored) known to have successfully bred that year. Many pairs lost their chicks, most likely to goannas.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Tree hollow | Material: No lining | Height above ground: 4 - 20? m |
If no suitable trees are found, Barking Owls may also use rock crevices.
Entrance to the nesting hollow from which the chick shown above
had emerged; the tree in this case is a River Red Gum
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 48 x 38 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
The family of birds shown in photos above is one out of 28 nesting pairs that are being monitored in a joint program by the NSW DPI and NPWS.
Within their territory each pair has various favourite perches, roosts and a small number of potential nesting hollows.
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Birds, small animals | Dependents: Pieces of adults' prey | Water intake: None |
Like other species of owls, Barking Owls are carnivores. They prey on a mix of small mammals (e.g. gliders), bats (such as microbats) and other birds, up to their own size (e.g. Galahs), which they pick off their roosts while asleep at night.
They take their liquids in the form of blood of their prey.
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
barkowl_20151003.m4a |
connivens (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls (male) | © MD | |
barkowl_20151003_2.mp3 |
connivens (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls male (perch1, flight, perch2) |
© MD | |
barkowl_20151003_3.m4a |
connivens (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls male (long sequence) |
© MD |
More Barking Owl sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.