Photo: Christoph Moning / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Speckled Boobook
Ninox punctulata
Speckled Boobook (Ninox punctulata) — 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 Speckled Boobook (Ninox punctulata) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 151 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 punctulata
Where it lives
Sulawesi, Kabaena, Muna and Butung (=Buton; south of southeastern Sulawesi)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 151 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Speckled Boobook is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Speckled Boobook is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Speckled Boobook (Ninox punctulata) is a species of bird in the Strigidae family, part of the order Strigiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi, Kabaena, Muna and Butung (=Buton; s of se Sulawesi).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 151 g, with a wing length of about 15.9 cm and a tail of around 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 152,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Speckled Boobook?
The Speckled Boobook is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 151 g.
Where does the Speckled Boobook live?
The Speckled Boobook is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi, Kabaena, Muna and Butung (=Buton; s of se Sulawesi), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Speckled Boobook belong to?
The Speckled Boobook (Ninox punctulata) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Speckled Boobook eat?
The Speckled Boobook is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Speckled Boobook migrate?
The Speckled Boobook is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Speckled 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 Speckled Boobook make?
1 real field recording of the Speckled Boobook — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Speckled Boobook's range?
The Speckled Boobook has a mapped global range of about 152,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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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.