Brown boobook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown boobook |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ninox
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| Species: |
scutulata
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The brown boobook (Ninox scutulata), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is a type of owl that lives in Asia. You can find it in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and all the way to western Indonesia and southern China.
This owl belongs to the main group of owls called typical owls (Strigidae). Most owls you know are in this group. The other main group is the barn owls (Tytonidae).
Contents
What's in a Name? (Taxonomy)
Scientists like to group living things to understand them better. This is called taxonomy. The brown boobook was first described in 1822 by Stamford Raffles. He found a specimen in Sumatra and gave it the scientific name Strix scutulata. The word scutulata comes from Latin and means "diamond-shaped."
Later, in 1837, another naturalist named Brian Houghton Hodgson created a new group, or genus, for these owls called Ninox. This is where the brown boobook is now placed.
Different Types of Brown Boobooks
There are nine different types, or subspecies, of the brown boobook. These subspecies look a little different depending on where they live. For example:
- N. s. lugubris lives in northern, central, and northeastern India and Nepal.
- N. s. burmanica is found from northeastern India to southern China and Thailand.
- N. s. hirsuta lives in southern India and Sri Lanka.
- The main type, N. s. scutulata, is found in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.
Brown Boobook Features
The brown boobook is a medium-sized owl. It is about 32 cm (13 in) long. It looks a bit like a hawk because it has a long tail. Unlike many owls, it does not have a very flat face.
What Does It Look Like?
Its upper parts are dark brown. Its tail has stripes. Its belly is whitish with reddish-brown stripes. The owls living in the Andaman Islands have dark brown bellies. Brown boobooks have large, yellow eyes. Male and female owls look very similar.
Night Life and Diet
This owl is mostly active at night (nocturnal). But you can often find it during the day. Small birds sometimes gather around it while it is resting in a tree.
The brown boobook eats many different things. Its favorite foods include:
- Large insects
- Frogs
- Lizards
- Small birds
- Mice
Its Call
The brown boobook makes a soft, musical sound. It sounds like oo-uk ...ooo-uk.... You can often hear this call when the sun is setting or rising.
Where It Lives
This owl is quite common. You can find it in towns and cities. It also lives in suburban areas near buildings. For example, it is often seen in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Where Do Brown Boobooks Live? (Distribution and Habitat)
The brown boobook lives in most tropical parts of southern Asia. This includes areas from the Middle East to southern China.
Preferred Homes
These owls like to live in places with lots of trees. They prefer well-wooded areas and forests. They make their nests in holes in trees. A female owl usually lays three to five eggs.
Rare Sightings Far Away
Sometimes, brown boobooks travel far from their usual homes. There have been two times when they were seen in the western part of the world. One was photographed in St. Paul Island, Alaska, in 2007. Another was found on Kiska Island in 2008. These sightings are very rare!
Images for kids
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Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
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Brown boobook at Samsing in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.
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Brown boobook couple, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala, India
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