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Rufous OwlAlternate name(s): "Rufous Boobook" Size: 45-55 cm Weight: 0.7-1.7 kg |
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Similar |
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See Rufous
Owl at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
Race "rufa"
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ADULT |
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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]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a Rufous Owl with its prey, a possum; this bird
was smaller than the partner it was seen with
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]
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PAIR |
Frontal view of a pair of Rufous Owls taking an interest
in the photographer - the male, on the left, is slightly
smaller than the female; 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]
Dorsal view of a pair of Rufous Owls
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Garden, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Dorsal 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]
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
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]
Near-dorsal view of a Rufous Owl (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Close-up frontal view of a Rufous Owl in captivity
(photo courtesy of J. Thurmer)
Frontal view of a Rufous Owl in captivity now with its head turned
(photo courtesy of J. Thurmer)
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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]
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]
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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 |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = 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]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 53 x 45 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
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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]
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]
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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.
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, plus surroundings | © PB |
More Rufous Owl sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.