Australian Masked Owl

Tyto novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826)

Australian Masked Owl, Tyto novaehollandiae, breeds in south New Guinea and Australia. It is a barn owl of timbered country, usually with a shrub layer, and in Australia it is rarely recorded far inland. The bird uses large tree hollows close to feeding areas for roosting and nesting, and some populations also make use of caves or rock crevices. It is a territorial nocturnal owl, with a breeding season that can fall at any time of year when conditions suit. The mainland population is in decline, and the species is listed as threatened in parts of Australia.

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Tytonidae — Barn Owls

Breeding range

Australasia: sc New Guinea and Australia