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Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa) Alternate name(s): "Rufous Boobook" Size: 45-55 cm Weight: 0.7-1.7 kg

Australia: Family Group 13 Family Group 13 Table Oriental Cuckoo Pallid Cuckoo Brush Cuckoo Black-eared Cuckoo Fan-tailed Cuckoo Horsefield's Bronze-Cuckoo Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Little Bronze-Cuckoo Australian Koel Channel-billed Cuckoo Pheasant Coucal Rufous Owl Powerful Owl Barking Owl Southern Boobook Eastern Barn Owl Eastern Grass Owl Sooty Owl Tawny Frogmouth Papuan Frogmouth White-throated Nightjar Spotted Nightjar Large-tailed Nightjar Australian Owlet-nightjar Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Thumbnails page Birds home page

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 based on 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 found 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 a pair of Rufous Owls, race "rufa", in the Darwin, NT, Botanical Garden in May 2018 and again in July 2018. They were also found at Rapid Creek, Darwin, in December 2018.

Photos

Race "rufa"

ADULT

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 was smaller than the partner it was seen with
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, December 2018]

Sex unknown

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

Frontal 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]

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)

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

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]

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]

Food, Diet

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

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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