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13

Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) Alternate name(s): "Winking Owl", "Screaming Woman" Aboriginal name(s): "woorop", "koordemool", "woolbogle" (WA); "gooragang"; Race "connivens": "guliman" [gamilaraay] Size: 39-44 cm; wing span 85-120 cm Weight: 380-960 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Barking Owls are medium-sized owls. The exact colour pattern of their plumage depends on race. Race connivens is dark-brown with white, while race "peninsularis" is rufous and white. All Barking Owls have an inconspicuous facial pattern, with a lot of grey on the face and front. The front is mostly grey, with some brown (see above) streaking). The crown and back are darker brown. Their eyes are large and yellow. The bill is light-grey. The legs are covered by feathers; the feet are yellow. The front of race "peninsularis" is more rufous-brown than that of race "connivens". Male Barking Owls are larger than females. Juvenile Barking Owls have a partial white collar around the front of the neck at the height of the throat. Twitcher's tip They are distinguished from Australian Boobooks by their larger size, lighter front and smaller head compared to the size of the body.

Taxonomy, classification See Barking Owl at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Barking Owl is available HERE . Both races of Barking Owls found in Australia are endemic, together populating a significant fraction of the continent. Nominate race "connivens" is found South of Cape York peninsula, all across QLD (except the south-western corner of the state) and NSW and VIC, up to the border with SA. They are also found in the south-western corner of WA. Elsewhere, i.e. in an area encompassed by the catchments of the Gascoyne and Fitzroy Rivers in WA, in the Kimberley and along the tropical North of the NT and Cape York peninsula, race "peninsularis" is found. Barking Owls are usually found in various types of forest (dense to open). Within forests they often stay near River Red Gums along water courses.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "connivens" A family of Barking Owls, race "connivens", was observed by us in the Pilliga scrub, North-East of Kenebri, NSW, in December 2011, at the time when their young had just fledged. Since they are part of a monitoring program, any attempt to approach them should be coordinated in advance with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and/or the National Parks and Wildlife Service. J. Wilson's assistance with these observations is most gratefully acknowledged. In October 2015 a male Barking Owl's, race "connivens", calls marking its territory were recorded by us in the Pilliga scrub. Previously, we had only seen a brief glimpse of two Barking Owls, race "connivens", at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri, in late May 2009. The birds were not identified visually, but by their calls while flying overhead shortly after nightfall. M. Windeyer reports spotting a Barking Owl, race "connivens", on the Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, in November 2016. M. Eaton found a pair of Barking Owls, race "connivens", at Bunyaville Conservation Park, Brisbane, QLD, in May 2020. Another pair was found at Tannum Sands, Gladstone, QLD, in June 2021. Race "peninsularis" B. Hensen reports spotting Barking Owls, race "peninsularis", at Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, in July 2013. J. Greaves reports spotting a Barking Owl, race "peninsularis", at the Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, in April 2015. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Barking Owls, race "peninsularis", in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in October 2015. P. Brown found Barking Owls, race "peninsularis", at Manton Dam, 50 km south of Darwin, NT, in March 2020. Since then, P. Brown has found others in various locations in and around Darwin, NT. P. Brown also reports finding a family of 5 Barking Owls, race "peninsularis", at Lorella Springs Station, Roper Gulf country, NT, in September 2021.

Photos

Race "connivens"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of an adult male Barking Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tannum Sands, Gladstone, QLD, June 2021]

Frontal view of a resting male Barking Owl (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Chatswood, NSW, September 2007]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal portrait of an adult female Barking Owl; note the conspicuously round shape of the head
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tannum Sands, Gladstone, QLD, June 2021]

Close-up frontal portrait of a female Barking Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tannum Sands, Gladstone, QLD, June 2021]

Near-lateral 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]

Near-lateral view of a female Barking Owl, now with its head turned back
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, December 2011]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female(?) Barking Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tannum Sands, Gladstone, QLD, June 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Barking Owl looking at the observer
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, December 2011]

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]

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"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up lateral view of an adult male Barking Owl (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]

Lateral view of a male Barking Owl (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]

Dorsal view of a male Barking Owl (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]

FEMALE

Frontal/ventral view of a female Barking Owl; see below for a comparison with its partner (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Esplanade, Darwin, NT, March 2021]

PAIR

Frontal/ventral view of a pair of Barking Owls; male on the right (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Esplanade, Darwin, NT, March 2021]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of an adult Barking Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2021]

Frontal view of an adult Barking Owl (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

The same Barking Owl as shown above, now seen preening (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2013]

Frontal view of a Barking Owl, eyes open (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, March 2021]

Frontal view of a Barking Owl, eyes closed (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, March 2021]

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Barking Owl; note the off-white collar (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lorella Springs Station, Roper Gulf country, NT, September 2021]

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.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = 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]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 48 x 38 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

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.

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.

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
barkowl_20220618.m4a	connivens (NW NSW)	Territorial calls pair Q&A	© MD

More Barking Owl sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Sun, 19 June 2022, 4:41 +00:00