(Tyto novaehollandiae)
Abundance: Uncommon. Breed in all coastal regions of Australia and Tasmania,
Lord Howe Island and associated Balls Pyramid - a volcanic stack/spire.
Habitat: Forests, woodlands, and caves. Active in middle storey. Hunt in
the open. Prefer the big hollows of trees to nest.
Movement: Nomadic.
Description: Robust; crouched posture. Black eyes. Round, dark-bordered
mask. Dark chestnut near eyes. Dark morph: chestnut disc. Upperparts
blackish-brown, washed rufous and speckled white. Underparts pale rufous,
coarsely dark-spotted. Intermediate morph: off-white disc. Upperparts
blackish-brown, washed yellow, densely speckled white. Underparts off-white,
coarsely dark-spotted. Light morph: white disc. Upperparts pale grey,
washed yellow, dark and white speckled. Underparts white, sparsely grey-
flecked. In southern Australia dark females, intermediate males predom
inate. In northern Australia smaller intermediate females, light males
predominate. Legs feathered. Feet heavy.
Size: Females larger. Females 47cm. Males 37cm.
Voice: Female: strong, harsh hissing - "kwoosh". Males: aerial display
with chattering calls.
In Tasmania where there are no other large owls, Masked Owls are the biggest
and darkest of all. With no owl competitors, they occupy a wider variety
of habitat and occur in greater numbers than anywhere in Australia.
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