Powerful Owl
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| Ninox strenua (Latham, 1802) |
The Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) is a species of owl native to south-eastern and eastern Australia. It is found in coastal areas, the Great Dividing Range no more than 200 km inland and is know to frequent Tong's pad. It has large brown eyes, grey-brown V-barring on all features, large feathers and dull yellow feet. Size is 60–66 cm and is very powerful with heavy claws.
Habitat includes mountain and coastal forests, gullies, forest margins, woodlands including sparse hilly woodlands, scrub, plantations and urban and rural parks and gardens.
Usually found in breeding pairs in a large territory, it breeds from July to September in hollow tree trunks 8–20 metres above the ground. The nesting material includes decaying debris and leaf litter. Eggs are oval and dull white. One to two and rarely three are laid per breeding season.
Range is from Eugella in Queensland south to the central highlands of Victoria and west to Mt Burr in South Australia. The species is considered Uncommon by the State and Federal government conservation departments.
Diet consists of small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Ninox strenua. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a lengthy justification of why this species is of least concern
- Field guide to the birds of Australia Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight, Angus & Robertson 1997, 3rd edition 2000. ISBN 0-207-19714-8
