Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Owls

Lesser Sooty Owl

Tyto multipunctata

Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) — Owls of Australia & Oceania.

The Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) is a member of the Tytonidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 661 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Strigiformes
Family Tytonidae Barn Owls
Genus Tyto
Species multipunctata

Where it lives

Southeastern Cape York Pen., northeastern QLD (northeastern Australia)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 661 g
Diet: Vertebrate hunters
Family: Tytonidae
Order: Strigiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Lesser Sooty Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Lesser Sooty Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) is a member of the Tytonidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD (ne Australia).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 661 g, with a wing length of about 23.5 cm and a tail of around 11.7 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 55,000 km².

Songs & calls

Lesser Sooty Owl — Call

Recorded by kidsmoked Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Lesser Sooty Owl?

The Lesser Sooty Owl is a large bird that weighs around 661 g.

Where does the Lesser Sooty Owl live?

The Lesser Sooty Owl is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD (ne Australia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Lesser Sooty Owl belong to?

The Lesser Sooty Owl (Tyto multipunctata) belongs to the Tytonidae family, in the order Strigiformes.

What does the Lesser Sooty Owl eat?

The Lesser Sooty Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Does the Lesser Sooty Owl migrate?

The Lesser Sooty Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Lesser Sooty Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Lesser Sooty Owl make?

1 real field recording of the Lesser Sooty Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Lesser Sooty Owl's range?

The Lesser Sooty Owl has a mapped global range of about 55,000 km².