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Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa) Alternate name(s): "Rufous Boobook" Size: 45-57 cm; wing span: 1.0-1.2 m Body mass: 0.9-1.9 kg (race "rufa"); 0.6-1.1 kg (race "queenslandica") Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.55-0.70 (overall)

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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 Rufous Owls are large owls. Unlike many other species of bird of prey, in Rufous Owls the male is bigger and heavier than the female. The back of both sexes is dark-brown, with lighter barring. The front is rufous-brown, with lighter barring. They have a dark-grey facial mask, with a white throat and whitish frons and prominent, yellow eyes. The undertail is barred light-grey. Like those of several other Australian owl species, their wings have an off-white patch on the leading edge. The bill is light-grey, the legs and feet are yellowish.

Taxonomy, classification See Rufous 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 Rufous Owl is available HERE . Rufous Owls, apart from Australia, are also found in West Papua (Indonesia) and New Guinea. The three races of Rufous Owl found in Australia are all endemic to the continent. Nominate race "rufa" is found along the tropical coast of far-northern WA, eastward of about Derby, WA, and the Top End the NT, including Arnhemland. Race "meesi" is found on Cape York peninsula (except its southern central part), whereas race "queenslandica" is present only along the QLD East coast, from about Cooktown in the North to Rockhampton in the South. Rufous Owls have a preference for closed forest and other dense vegetation.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "rufa" B. Hensen reports spotting a Rufous Owl, race "rufa", in the Darwin, NT, Botanical Garden in April 2005 and again in July 2017 and July 2018. In October 2018 they were found there with a juvenile in tow. H. Mouritsen spotted a Rufous Owl, race "rufa", in the Darwin, NT, Botanical Garden in October 2015. P. Brown reports finding Rufous Owls, race "rufa", in various locations in Darwin, NT. A pair was first spotted in the Darwin, NT, Botanical Garden in May 2018 and again in July 2018. Another pair was found at Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, in December 2018. Then a pair was detected at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in April 2020. They were observed exploring a potential nest hollow at the same location in May 2020, in a tree where they had previously been found roosting. At this location they subsequently successfully raised a chick and were still present in April 2021. In August 2021 they successfully fledged two chicks. This pair was found again in the same area in September 2022. Another pair was found at Fannie Bay, Darwin, NT, in July 2021. M. Eaton also spotted a Rufous Owl, race "rufa", at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in July 2020. Another was found in the Darwin, NT, Botanical Garden in June 2023. P. Brown found another pair of Rufous Owls, race "rufa", at the Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, in July 2020. Race "queenslandica" J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding Rufous Owls, race "queenslandica", breeding in Cairns, QLD, in the timeframe September-November 2020.

Photos

Race "rufa"

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal view of a pair of Rufous Owls taking an interest in the photographer - in this species, the female - on the left - is slightly smaller than the male; these are the birds whose calls were recorded on 15 April 2020 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Below a sound recording of the alarms of other bird species caused by the pair of Rufous Owls shown above.

alarm_pb_20200411.m4a

(Darwin, NT)

Alarm calls (various species)

© PB

Frontal/ventral view of a pair of Rufous Owls (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a pair of Rufous Owls, male on the left (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2021]

Dorsal/ventral view of a pair of Rufous Owls (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

Dorsal/ventral view of a pair of Rufous Owls; note how they look grey, rather than rufous, when deep in shade
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

MALE

Frontal view of a Rufous Owl; this bird is taller than the partner it was seen with
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a Rufous Owl with its prey, a possum; this bird is smaller than the partner it was seen with
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]

Sex unknown

Full-frontal view of a Rufous Owl; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 5 Sep. 2022 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, September 2022]

Frontal view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Rufous Owl looking at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2023]

Near-frontal view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, November 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Rufous Owl looking at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Rufous Owl - note the strong legs (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fannie Bay, Darwin, NT, July 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, November 2020]

Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, October 2020]

Adult Rufous Owl with a juvenile (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of one of two juvenile Rufous Owls (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2021]

Lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Dorsal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Race "queenslandica"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a Rufous Owl; given its powerful head, compared to the body, this bird is probably a male
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Close-up frontal view of a male(?) Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal/ventral view of a Rufous Owl looking at the observer with one eye closed; given the narrow head with rounded crown, this is likely a female
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Close-up frontal/ventral view of a Rufous Owl; given the narrow head with rounded crown, this is likely a female getting ready to feed its dependent young
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl looking down at the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl looking down at the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Rufous Owl looking down at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jun - Aug

Eggs: 1 - 2

Incubation period: 36 - 38 days

Fledging age: 35 - 42 days

The breeding season listed above is for the northern tropics. Further south, in eastern QLD, the breeding season is from August to December.

Nest building: Male

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

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

Type: Tree hollow

Material: No lining

Height above ground: 3.5 - ? m

Three-pronged major fork with a hollow in the main trunk that was explored by a pair of Rufous Owls for its suitability for nesting; at about 2 m above ground, this hollow is unusually low, but there may have been a lack of suitable trees after tropical storms and bushfires wrought havoc in the area (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Overview of the surroundings of the same tree as shown above (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Wider overview of the tree itself (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Eggs

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

Size: 53 x 45 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a female Rufous Owl with its prey, a flying fox (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Frontal/ventral view of a Rufous Owl with its prey, a Tawny Frogmouth (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2021]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Rufous Owl with its prey, a flying fox (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2023]

Near-lateral view of a female Rufous Owl with its prey, a flying fox (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Lateral view of a female Rufous Owl with its prey, a possum (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]

Scats and an abandoned Rufous Owl meal of flying fox below a roost (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, July 2020]

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.

rufowl_pb_20210716.m4a	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Contact call	© PB
rufowl_pb_20220905.mp3	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Contact calls	© PB
rufowl_pb_20210716_2.m4a	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial call	© PB
rufowl_pb_20220905_2.mp3	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
rufowl_pb_20220905_3.mp3	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
rufowl_pb_20200415.m4a	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
rufowl_pb_20200415_2.m4a	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
rufowl_pb_20200415_3.m4a	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls + bkgd	© PB
rufowl_pb_20221029_2.mp3	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls + juvenile begging + bkgd	© PB
rufowl_pb_20221029.mp3	rufa (Darwin, NT)	Begging calls (juvenile)	© PB

More Rufous 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.

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