owls

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Can I offer some ideas. Firstly Boobooks are known common breeding species in our area. Barking Owls are not. Though it is always possible that Barking Owls could turn up in our area. My reading is that the recent mention of trilling calls by young owls are entirely consistent with young Boobooks and I see nothing in it to suggest Barking Owls (unless good further evidence comes forward). As a very general observation, it is common for the begging calls of young of a whole range of species within the same genus or family to be very similar or maybe indistinguishable (by us). Just an example of the broad biological principle of "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny".

 

As for Jude's bird I can't guess from this whether the sound she heard is from a bird or even the same bird that "fluttered at my window". Nor whether either was an owl. I suspect a misunderstanding if Jude thinks that clearly like a very loud cricket is closest to a Masked Owl call. Maybe it too is the begging calls of young Boobooks. But if what was seen was much larger than a Boobook, with darker chestnut stomach and wings then that doesn't fit a Barn Owl, as they are always pale on the front with the bits that aren't white are patterned pale fawn. As to whether it was an (unlikely) Masked Owl or Barking Owl well maybe but far closer observation is needed.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: jude hopwood [
Sent: Friday, 1 February 2013 9:20 AM
To: COG
Subject: [canberrabirds] owls

Dear All,

As there are quite a few emails to this chatline that I simply don't get, I've missed the conversation on the 'trilling' call of young boobooks.  The sound the owl that I've identified as the (unlikely) Masked Owl made was clearly like a very loud cricket as described in that conversation.  However, the bird that fluttered at my window was much larger than a Boobook, with darker chestnut stomach and wings. It could have been a large Barn Owl only it had no clear pale portions.  Does anyone have an alternative ID that might be more likely?

Jude