Tasmanian Masked Owl
Tyto novaehollandiae castanops
Meet the Tasmanian Masked Owl
Habitat & Range
The Tasmanian Masked Owl is a distinctive subspecies of Masked Owl found in Tasmania.
It occurs in a range of habitats including forests, woodlands and areas where mature trees occur near open hunting grounds.
Large old trees are particularly important because Masked Owls rely on substantial tree hollows for nesting and shelter. These hollows can take many decades to develop.
What's on the Menu?
Tasmanian Masked Owls are carnivorous hunters. Their diet includes small mammals, birds and other suitable prey.
They hunt mainly at night, flying quietly over open areas and through woodland while listening and watching for movement below.
Amazing Adaptations
Masked Owls are superbly adapted for hunting in darkness. Their large eyes are highly effective in low light, while their sensitive hearing helps them locate prey they may not be able to see.
Their facial disc helps direct sound towards the ears, improving their ability to pinpoint where a sound is coming from.
Specialised feathers also help reduce the sound of air moving over their wings, allowing them to approach prey with very little noise.
Did You Know?
Tasmanian Masked Owls are among Australia's largest owls. Females are generally larger than males and Tasmanian birds can be noticeably darker than Masked Owls found in some mainland populations.
Behaviour
Tasmanian Masked Owls are primarily nocturnal, spending much of the daylight period resting in sheltered locations before becoming active after dark.
At night they hunt across forests, woodland edges and open areas where prey can be detected.
Breeding pairs depend on suitable nesting hollows and can use the same nesting areas over many years when habitat remains secure.
Conservation & Threats
One of the most important challenges facing Tasmanian Masked Owls is the loss of large old trees containing suitable nesting hollows.
Habitat clearing and fragmentation can reduce both nesting sites and hunting habitat. Vehicle collisions and other human-related hazards can also injure or kill owls.
Protecting mature hollow-bearing trees and the surrounding habitat is therefore particularly important for the long-term conservation of this remarkable Tasmanian raptor.
Tasmanian Masked Owls at Trowunna
Trowunna provides specialist care for native birds of prey, including animals that arrive through wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
Where an injured bird can recover and safely return to the wild, release is the goal. Birds with permanent injuries that make release impossible may require ongoing specialist care.
These birds also provide an important opportunity to teach visitors about Tasmania's raptors, the importance of hollow-bearing trees and the actions people can take to protect wildlife in the wild.
How You Can Help
- Protect large old trees and hollow-bearing trees wherever possible.
- Slow down when driving at night and watch carefully for wildlife.
- Keep cats contained and dogs under control.
- Avoid disturbing known owl nesting and roosting sites.
- Reduce the use of poisons that may also affect predators through the food chain.
- Report injured native birds to an appropriate wildlife rescue service.
Wildlife Welfare Comes First
Owls are highly sensitive birds and need quiet areas where they can rest undisturbed, particularly during daylight hours.
Please do not feed, touch, call to or attempt to interact with Trowunna's owls. Keep noise to a minimum around their enclosures and always follow instructions from our wildlife keepers.