Pat
It sounds very much like leucopsis, an autumn-winter migrant to south
eastern Aust (Vic SA and rarely NSW) from Tasmania. Assuming you picked it
up recently it is a very late record. Museum of Vic has specimens collected
between early April and late June and I have one sight record from Wilson's
Prom Vic on the 23 June. In addition to rich chocolate brown breast boldly
spotted (not streaked) white (never? buff) other characters useful in
identifying this sub-species are size (markedly smaller than boobook
although the measurements aren't handy at the moment), generally darker
chocolate plumage all over c.f. boobook, yellow to yellow orange eyes, and
usually fine white spotting or flecking towards the back of the head and
extending onto the neck.
Lurida from N QLD is (I think) even smaller, darker and more reddish brown
and has a very dark face. Although lurida is not impossible it would appear
to be most unlikely as I understand current information suggests this
subspecies is sedentary.
Hope this is of help.
Rohan Clarke
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