Papuan Boobook
Ninox theomacha
Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha) — Owls of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 125 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Ninox
- Species theomacha
Quick facts
- Weight
- 125 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Papuan Boobook is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Papuan Boobook is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU New Guinea (except sc).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 125 g, with a wing length of about 17.9 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 596,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Papuan Boobook?
The Papuan Boobook is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 125 g.
Where does the Papuan Boobook live?
The Papuan Boobook is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU New Guinea (except sc), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Papuan Boobook belong to?
The Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Papuan Boobook eat?
The Papuan Boobook is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Papuan Boobook migrate?
The Papuan Boobook is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Papuan Boobook 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 Papuan Boobook make?
1 real field recording of the Papuan Boobook — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Papuan Boobook's range?
The Papuan Boobook has a mapped global range of about 596,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.