Interesting thread about Boobooks and Lesser Sooty Owls; I have been
pushing for the use of Boobook for the various small Ninox owls,
instead of the widely used essentially American alternative Hawk-Owl,
which invites confusion with both Hawk Owl (Surnia) and Papuan Hawk-
Owl (Uroglaux).
Boobook is distinctive, commonly used the areas where the species
occur and hopefully makes things less confusing, so there has been
some movement and we have been seeing Brown Boobook appearing in lieu
of Brown Hawk Owl for example. However what do you then do with the
other larger Ninox- Powerful, Rufous and Barking owls? I'd say keep
the prevailing usage and don't start calling them boobooks as well,
but the IOC have been proactive and gone for all the Ninox as
Boobooks, except of course for Morepork (which some lump with Southern
Boobook despite the very distinct vocalizations).
This has resulted in confusion with the lurida taxon of Southern
Boobook too, which Weick et al split- I don't have the book here with
me at present so I can't recall what they call it ( I do recall they
unfortunately use Hawk-Owl though), but Rufous Owl = Rufous Boobook is
certainly very confusing and I'd argue for the status quo with
Powerful, Rufous and Barking Owl- if it ain't broke don't fix it!
Phil Gregory
London
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