Mindanao boobook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mindanao boobook |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ninox
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| Species: |
spilocephala
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The Mindanao boobook or Mindanao hawk-owl (Ninox spilocephala) is a special type of owl. It lives only on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. This owl belongs to the Strigidae family, which includes many kinds of owls.
Scientists used to think it was a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl. But in 2012, they learned it was its own unique species. They found this out by listening to its voice and looking at other features. This owl lives in warm, wet lowland forests. Sadly, its home is getting smaller because of habitat loss.
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Meet the Mindanao Boobook
This owl is quite small. It lives in the lowland forests of Mindanao. Its head and upper body are dark brown. Its wings have small speckles. The chest is reddish-brown, and its belly is white. It has thick reddish-brown stripes on its white belly. The Mindanao boobook has yellowish eyes.
It looks a bit like the chocolate boobook. However, the Mindanao boobook is much smaller. It also does not have any white on its chest. Its song is a short sound with three notes: "boo-woo! boo!" The first two notes sound connected.
What Makes it Special?
The Mindanao boobook does not have ear tufts. These are feather tufts that look like ears on some owls. Both male and female Mindanao boobooks look very similar.
This owl's call is quite unique. It sounds more like a dove than the usual screeching sound of other boobooks. It is also smaller than many other boobook owls. It has dark and light reddish-brown stripes on its chest. Its belly is whitish.
How Big is This Owl?
The Mindanao boobook is one of the smallest owls in the Philippine hawk-owl group. It is about 18 centimeters (7 inches) tall. The Luzon boobook is also this small.
Other boobook owls are a bit bigger. For example, the Mindoro boobook and Sulu boobook are about 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall. The Camiguin boobook, Romblon boobook, and Cebu boobook are much larger. They can be about 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall.
Where the Mindanao Boobook Lives
This owl makes its home in tropical, wet lowland primary forest. These are old, untouched forests.
Why This Owl Needs Our Help
The IUCN Red List says this bird is "near-threatened." This means its population is believed to be shrinking. The biggest danger to this owl is habitat loss. Its forest home is being cleared away. This happens because of logging, mining, and turning forests into farms or cities.
A lot of the lowland forests where this owl lives have already been cut down. In 1988, only about 29% of Mindanao's forests were left. Most of these were high up in the mountains, above 1,000 meters.
Helping the Mindanao Boobook
Right now, there are no special programs just for this owl. But people have suggested ways to help:
- Do more surveys to learn about where the owls live and how many there are.
- Start campaigns to teach people about this owl. This can make locals proud of their unique bird.
- Ask for protection for the forests that are still left.
