Southern Boobook
Ninox boobook
Meet the Southern Boobook
Habitat & Range
Southern Boobooks are found across much of Australia and occupy a wide variety of wooded habitats.
They can be found in forests, woodlands, farmland and other areas where suitable trees provide places to roost and nest.
During daylight hours they usually rest quietly among dense foliage or in sheltered locations before becoming active after dark.
What's on the Menu?
Southern Boobooks are carnivorous hunters with a varied diet.
They feed on insects and other invertebrates as well as small vertebrates such as birds and mammals.
Boobooks often hunt from a perch, watching and listening carefully before flying down to capture their prey.
Amazing Adaptations
Southern Boobooks have large forward-facing eyes that help them see in low-light conditions.
Excellent hearing allows them to detect prey after dark, while powerful feet and sharp talons help them capture and hold their food.
Specialised feathers help reduce the sound created by their wings during flight, allowing them to approach prey quietly.
Did You Know?
The name boobook comes from the owl's distinctive call, which is often described as sounding like “boo-book”.
Southern Boobooks are relatively small owls, but they are highly effective nocturnal predators.
Behaviour
Southern Boobooks are mainly nocturnal. They spend much of the day resting quietly before becoming active after sunset.
At night they hunt from branches and other elevated perches, using their excellent eyesight and hearing to locate prey.
Their calls are an important form of communication and are used to advertise and maintain territories.
Conservation & Threats
Mature trees and tree hollows provide important habitat for boobooks and many other native species.
Habitat loss, removal of mature trees, vehicle collisions, entanglement and exposure to toxic substances can all pose risks to native owls.
Maintaining connected native vegetation also helps support healthy populations of the insects and small animals that boobooks depend upon for food.
Southern Boobooks at Trowunna
Southern Boobooks give visitors the opportunity to learn about the remarkable adaptations of Australia's nocturnal birds of prey.
Trowunna provides specialist care and rehabilitation for injured native birds, including raptors and owls. Where possible, rehabilitated wildlife is prepared for release back into suitable habitat.
Birds that cannot safely return to the wild may remain in specialist care and can become important ambassadors for wildlife conservation and education.
How You Can Help
- Protect mature trees and tree hollows.
- Slow down when driving at night, particularly through forested areas.
- Keep cats contained and dogs under control.
- Avoid unnecessary use of rodent poisons and other toxic substances that may affect predators.
- Give nesting and roosting owls plenty of space.
- Report injured native raptors to an appropriate wildlife rescue service.
Wildlife Welfare Comes First
Southern Boobooks are nocturnal and need quiet, sheltered places where they can rest undisturbed during daylight hours.
Please do not call to, feed, touch or attempt to interact with Trowunna's owls. Keep noise low around their habitat, allow them to retreat from view and always follow instructions from our wildlife keepers.