Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata Scientific name definitions

27–33 cm (1 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ); 172–227 g (nominate race) (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), 146–173 g (borneensis) (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Smallish to medium-sized (depending on race), somewhat hawk-like boobook with poorly developed facial disc  , white patch above bill and longish tail ; sexes similar in plumage. Upperparts dark brown  with white spots on scapulars ; throat whitish-buff; rest of underparts  whitish with bold rufous-brown blotches ; tail brown with pale bars; eyes bright yellow ; cere dull greenish; bill bluish-black. Races differ primarily in size: wing length 207–227 mm in <em>lugubris</em> , 190–212 mm in <em>hirsuta</em> , 206–228 mm in <em>burmanica</em> , 190–203 mm in isolata, c. 195 mm in palawanensis, 212–228 mm in nominate, 178–183 mm in javanensis, 176–197 mm in borneensis (3 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 and 2. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Until recently, considered to include N. japonica, N. randi and N. obscura. Differs from japonica and randi in vocal characters and in part also mensurally (4 King, B.F. (2002). Species limits in the Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata complex. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 122(4): 250–257. Close ); vocalizations similar to those of obscura, which differs from present species in its reduced white spot above bill (ns[1]); plain dark brown uppersides and underparts (4); barred, not plain, undertail-coverts (2); unbarred undertail (2) (3 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 and 2. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ). Name scutulata formerly applied to populations from E China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan (now N. japonica) on erroneous supposition that type specimen, from Sumatra, was migrant form; populations now recognized as nominate scutulata were placed in race malaccensis. Nicobar races isolata and rexpimenti (which sometimes synonymized with isolata) until recently included in N. affinis, but are in fact much closer to and almost indistinguishable from mainland N. scutulata (3 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 and 2. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ). Several other forms doubtfully separable subspecifically; taxonomy in need of further revision. Nine subspecies recognized.

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.

Treed habitats from primary lowland rainforests and mangroves to wooded residential areas, plantations, parks and gardens; often found near streams and other watercourses. Roosts under thick canopy or among creepers. Occurs from sea-level to 1700 m (1 Mikkola, H. (2014). Owls of the World. A Photographic Guide. 2nd edition. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA. Close ); mostly below 300 m elevation in Thailand (5 Kemp, A., Kemp, M. and Thong-Aree, S. (2009). Surveys of nocturnal birds at Bala rainforest, southern Thailand. Forktail. 25: 117–124. Close ).

Largely sedentary.

Mainly insects  such as beetles (Coleoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), dragonflies (Odonata) and moths (Lepidoptera); also takes frogs, lizards, small mammals (including bats  ), small birds and even crabs (Decapoda) (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Hunts from conspicuous perch, where it pounces on prey on ground in typical style of many owls, but also hawks insects in air. Forages at dusk and nocturnally , often searching for prey along the edge of forests.

Song a repeated mellow, rising, disyllabic hoot , “whoo-wup, whoo-wup, whoo-wup”  that is very similar to that of N. obscura (4 King, B.F. (2002). Species limits in the Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata complex. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 122(4): 250–257. Close ).

Published information scarce. Laying and incubation occur from Mar–Apr in Sumatra, Mar–Jun or Jul in India (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Nests in tree hollow 5–20 m above ground. Usual clutch 2 eggs; size c. 36 mm × 31 mm (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); incubation period at least 25 days; nestling  period 24–28 days.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. No information on global numbers or population trends, but probably declining wherever lowland rainforests have been cleared (2 König, C., F. Weick, and J.-H. Becking (2008). Owls of the World. Second edition. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); e.g. reported to be uncommon on Borneo and Sumatra, rare on Java. Locally fairly common in N Indian Subcontinent, and relatively common in SE Asia.