Request for Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) sightings

[gary]

I know we have some birders here on IceInSpace and certainly astronomy
has no shortage of night owls.

Night time observers might therefore be able to help with the request by
Birds Australia which appeared in today's Sydney Morning Herald.

Originally Posted by Aaron Cook, Sydney Morning Herald

Birds Australia is calling on the public to help locate and monitor breeding pairs of Australia's largest species of owl, Ninox strenua (commonly known as the
Powerful Owl).

The birds are listed as vulnerable in NSW and there are 20 to 30 breeding pairs living in the Sydney region, an owl expert from the Department of Primary Industries, Rod Kavanagh, said.

''But we don't know for sure and we don't know where they are breeding. We need to identify the critical roosting and breeding requirements of the owls and the locations of important areas requiring protection."

"We need to know where and when you saw or heard the bird and anything interesting you noticed about where it was or what it was doing,'' Dr Parsons said.

...

To report a sighting or volunteer as an observer email birdsinbackyards@birdsaustralia.com .au

Full article and picture here -
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/an...703-1gxcv.html

[Octane (Humayun)]

h00t h00t. (O..O)

H

[gary]

Thanks H,

Almost perfect. You just need to type a little deeper on that first h00t.
Some sound recordings here to practice with -
http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?gen...pecies=strenua

We get one calling out here from time to time so next time I might have
to go and try and spot him.

[koputai (Jason)]

I didn't realise the Powerful Owl was rare. We have one (a male judging by the sound) that lives within 100 metres of our place here in Belrose. I hear him all the time, but come to think of it, haven't heard him for maybe a month, maybe it's the cold weather. I've only spotted him once, sitting in a tree in our neighbours backyard. I'll try a bit harder next time I hear him.

Cheers,
Jason.

[Terry B]

I was listening to an article on this on abc radio yesterday and they played a recording of the owls call. I hear a very similar call regularly at my home out of Armidale. Do these owls make it to the Northern Tablelands or will it be a different species?
Wouldn't mind if they are happy to eat bunnies.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

Is this what you are looking for? my observing hat! -Maybe a new thread here, observing head gear.....
graham

[Marke (Mark)]

Its an old one but you get the idea .
I know of 2 breeding pairs but been about 18mth since I have
looked

[gary]

Originally Posted by Terry B

I was listening to an article on this on abc radio yesterday and they played a recording of the owls call. I hear a very similar call regularly at my home out of Armidale. Do these owls make it to the Northern Tablelands or will it be a different species?
Wouldn't mind if they are happy to eat bunnies.

Hi Terry,

Attached is a distribution map from a Readers Digest "Birds of Australia".
A copy I have here of Simpson & Day's "Field Guide to the Birds of Australia"
shows a near identical distribution map.

The resolution of the map is not so good, but it does suggest that they are
confined to the south-east of the country and don't extend too far west of
the divide. So you might be hearing one, but you are probably on the western
extreme. I'd keep listening and looking out.

Whenever we take the drive up to Coona these days, I notice how there seems
to be evidence of increased numbers of rabbits and foxes. They certainly are
a problem here in parts of Sydney.

[gary]

Originally Posted by graham.hobart

Is this what you are looking for? my observing hat! -Maybe a new thread here, observing head gear.....
graham

Hi Graham!

LOL! You know there are parts of inner Sydney where if you were to wear that
and go down the street, nobody would even turn a head. You'd just blend in.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

nobody would turn a head? or turn a head 280 degrees? Now thats a part of Sydney I never seen!
But seriously, as a twitcher myself I am interested in this thread from an ornithological point of view too.
graham

[gary]

Originally Posted by Marke

Its an old one but you get the idea .
I know of 2 breeding pairs but been about 18mth since I have
looked

Hi Mark,

Great picture! I like that one eye open look that says, "Why are you waking me
up in the middle of the day?"

Hopefully they will return next season.

[GTB_an_Owl (Geoff)]

being a true owl Gary
i have uttered those very words on more than one occasion

geoff