Mindoro boobook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mindoro boobook |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ninox
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| Species: |
mindorensis
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The Mindoro boobook or Mindoro hawk-owl (Ninox mindorensis) is a special kind of owl. It belongs to the Strigidae family. This owl lives only in the Philippines, meaning it is endemic there.
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What Does the Mindoro Boobook Look Like?
This owl is a fairly small bird. It lives in forests and woodlands. Its head and back are dark brown. Its chest is a reddish-brown color. The Mindoro boobook has bright yellow eyes. It also has thin white eyebrows that look like a "V" shape.
The Mindoro boobook is similar to another owl called the Mindoro scops-owl. But the boobook has fine bars all over its body. It is also much smaller than the chocolate boobook. The Mindoro boobook does not have white on its chest.
Its Unique Song
The song of the Mindoro boobook is easy to recognize. It is a high-pitched sound. It sounds like a sad whistle, going "wiiiiuuuuu" downwards.
Size and Appearance
This owl does not have ear tufts, which are feather tufts that look like ears. Both male and female Mindoro boobooks look very much alike. They are about 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall. This makes them a medium-sized owl. Other owls like the Camiguin, Romblon, and Cebu boobooks are larger. They are about 25 centimeters tall. Smaller owls like the Luzon and Mindanao boobooks are 15 to 18 centimeters tall.
Where Does the Mindoro Boobook Live?
The Mindoro boobook lives in tropical forests. These are usually lowland primary (old) and secondary forests. They can be found up to 1250 meters (about 4,100 feet) above sea level. Sometimes, you might see them at the forest edges. They can also be found in clearings or even on plantations.
Why Is the Mindoro Boobook in Danger?
The IUCN Red List says this bird is a vulnerable species. This means it is at risk of becoming endangered. There are only about 2,500 to 9,999 adult owls left.
Main Threats to Their Home
The biggest danger to these owls is habitat loss. This means their forest homes are disappearing. People are clearing forests for many reasons. This includes legal and illegal logging, and mining. Forests are also being turned into farms and cities. Almost all of the lowland forests where these owls live have been destroyed. In 1988, only a small amount of forest was left on Mindoro Island. Most of it was not even dense forest.
Protected Areas
Luckily, the Mindoro boobook lives in a few protected places. These include Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park. This park is also home to the critically endangered Tamaraw, a type of buffalo. They also live in Naujan Lake National Park.
Helping the Mindoro Boobook
Right now, there isn't a special plan just for this owl. But people have ideas to help them.
- They want to do more surveys to find out where the owls live. This will help them understand how many owls there are.
- They want to teach people about the owls. This will help locals feel proud of these special birds.
- They also want to ask for better protection for the remaining forests.
