Small hawk- owl, relatively plain above and below. Facial disc uniformly black- brown, paler eyebrows, indistinct pale rictal bristles; sooty chocolate- brown above, unmarked or with few spots on scapulars; rich chestnut- brown below; yellow eyes; grey bill. Differs from N. jacquinoti in lack of white throat, dark and unbarred underparts. Sexes similar, female slightly larger. Juvenile dull brown. Races differ in size and colour: hoedtii duller than nominate, with browner head; goldii larger, belly with much white; rosseliana with even more white below. Voice: Disyllabic “boo-boo”, the two notes identical, slightly descending in pitch, repeated every 3 - 4 seconds, continuing throughout most of night.
Not Threatened.
Small hawk- owl, relatively plain above and below. Facial disc uniformly black- brown, paler eyebrows, indistinct pale rictal bristles; sooty chocolate- brown above, unmarked or with few spots on scapulars; rich chestnut- brown below; yellow eyes; grey bill. Differs from N. jacquinoti in lack of white throat, dark and unbarred underparts. Sexes similar, female slightly larger. Juvenile dull brown. Races differ in size and colour: hoedtii duller than nominate, with browner head; goldii larger, belly with much white; rosseliana with even more white below. Voice: Disyllabic “boo-boo”, the two notes identical, slightly descending in pitch, repeated every 3 - 4 seconds, continuing throughout most of night.
20 - 28 cm
Taxonomy:
- Spiloglaux theomacha Bonaparte, 1855, Triton Bay, New Guinea. Relationships uncertain. Proposed treatments as member of species-group that includes N. boobook, N. novaeseelandiae, N. squamipila, N. meeki, N. variegata and perhaps other boobooks in Australasian Region; more research needed. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * hoedtii (Schlegel, 1871) - Waigeo and Misool Is. * theomacha (Bonaparte, 1855) - New Guinea. * goldii Gurney, 1883 - D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago (Goodenough, Fergusson, Normanby). * rosseliana Tristram, 1889 - Louisiade Archipelago (Tagula, Rossel).
Lowland forest, forest edge, gardens and tree groves in open country, up to c. 2500 m. Roosts under dense canopy by day.
Mainly large insects. Hunts using sallies from perch; hawks insects on wing; solitary or in pairs.
Lays Aug; fledglings seen in Oct; eggs found in Dec in C New Guinea. Monogamous; territorial, intensified calling prior to breeding. Nest in tree hollow; usually 2 eggs.