Owls in mainland Australia and Tasmania

Nocturnal hoots, barks or screeches are sure signs of an owl living in your area. Use this quick guide to see which species it might be.

AUSTRALIA HAS two genera of owls, Ninox and

Tyto. The latter – the masked owls – includes the well-known barn owl, which occurs throughout the world. The Ninox owls are known as hawkowls and all lack the definite heart-shaped face of the Tyto owls. Most of Australia’s native owl species rely on old-growth trees. These contain hollows that can take more than 100 years to form and are favoured as nesting sites by our owls. Loss of such trees through habitat clearing is a major threat to Australia’s owls.