Luzon Boobook Ninox philippensis Scientific name definitions

15–20 cm (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close , 2 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ); 125 g (one male) (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Very small boobook, with indistinct brown facial disc, greyish rictal bristles and whitish eyebrows; head and upper back dark rufous-brown and unmarked; scapulars, upperwing coverts and flight feathers with white spotting ; underparts buff-white streaked rufous-brown ; eyes  orange-yellow; bill creamy yellow-grey. Distinguished from N. scutulata by extensive white covert spots and more rufous, less chocolate-brown colour of upperparts. Sexes similar in plumage, female slightly larger. Juvenile less spotted on back and upperwings. Races similar in plumage and size; ticaoensis (n = 1; wing length 173·5 mm, tail length 81 mm (3 Rasmussen, P.C., Allen, D.N.S., Collar, N.J., DeMeulemeester, B., Hutchinson, R.O., Jakosalem, P.G.C., Kennedy, R.S., Lambert, F.R. and Paguntalan, L.M. (2012). Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail. 28: 1–20. Close ) ) perhaps slightly smaller than nominate (n = 35; wing 154–190 mm, tail 71–92 mm (3 Rasmussen, P.C., Allen, D.N.S., Collar, N.J., DeMeulemeester, B., Hutchinson, R.O., Jakosalem, P.G.C., Kennedy, R.S., Lambert, F.R. and Paguntalan, L.M. (2012). Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail. 28: 1–20. Close ) ) and with darker upperparts and darker streaking on underparts (3 Rasmussen, P.C., Allen, D.N.S., Collar, N.J., DeMeulemeester, B., Hutchinson, R.O., Jakosalem, P.G.C., Kennedy, R.S., Lambert, F.R. and Paguntalan, L.M. (2012). Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail. 28: 1–20. Close , 2 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ); race centralis (n = 30; wing 158–191 mm, tail 74–92 mm (3 Rasmussen, P.C., Allen, D.N.S., Collar, N.J., DeMeulemeester, B., Hutchinson, R.O., Jakosalem, P.G.C., Kennedy, R.S., Lambert, F.R. and Paguntalan, L.M. (2012). Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail. 28: 1–20. Close ) ) duller brown than nominate and with fewer spots on upperparts (1 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close , 2 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Occurs in primary and second-growth rainforest, including remnant stands, gallery forest and forest edge; most sightings from lowlands below 1000 m, but occasionally found up to 1800 m (4 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Roosts by day in darker parts of forest.

Probably sedentary.

Little information. Reported to take insects, small birds, frogs and lizards (2 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ).

Song a long series of loud barks that starts with single notes and often ends with "about four halting notes, the first note softest, without whistles and usually without growls" (3 Rasmussen, P.C., Allen, D.N.S., Collar, N.J., DeMeulemeester, B., Hutchinson, R.O., Jakosalem, P.G.C., Kennedy, R.S., Lambert, F.R. and Paguntalan, L.M. (2012). Vocal divergence and new species in the Philippine Hawk Owl Ninox philippensis complex. Forktail. 28: 1–20. Close ).

Very little published information. Nests in tree holes; adult with well-developed gonads taken in Feb, and downy young reported in Mar and May (4 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. No data on global numbers or population trends. Severe deforestation has occurred throughout the Philippines, but species tolerates some degree of habitat alteration and is still locally common. Nonetheless, BirdLife International suggests it is declining in number owing to habitat loss and degradation. Occurs in several National Parks , such as Quezon (Luzon), Mount Canlaon (Negros) and Rajah Sikatuna (Bohol).