New Ireland boobook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Ireland boobook |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ninox
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| Species: |
variegata
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| Synonyms | |
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Noctua variegata (Quoy and Gaimard, 1830) |
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The New Ireland boobook (Ninox variegata) is a cool type of owl! It's also known as the Bismarck hawk-owl or Bismarck boobook. This owl is small to medium-sized. It usually measures about 25 to 30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches) long.
What Does It Look Like?
This owl has dark reddish-brown feathers on its back. Its shoulder feathers have stripes. Its wings and tail might have spots or stripes too. The owl's belly is whitish. Its throat is pale and has no marks. Its upper chest has dark stripes. The rest of its belly also has stripes.
The New Ireland boobook has a dark brown face. Its eyes can be brown or yellow. Its beak and legs are yellow. This owl has a short tail. It also has strong tarsi, which are the bones just above its feet.
Where Does It Live?
This special owl lives only in the Bismarck archipelago. This means it is endemic to these islands. You can find it on the islands of New Britain, New Ireland, and New Hanover.
It likes to live in forests. You can find it in lowlands, hills, and mountains. It lives at altitudes up to 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) high.
Who Discovered It?
The New Ireland boobook was first described in 1830. Two French naturalists, Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard, gave it its first scientific name, Noctua variegata.
How Is It Doing?
Scientists haven't counted exactly how many New Ireland boobooks there are. But this owl is found across a wide area. It is fairly common in forests and at the edges of forests where it lives. Its population numbers seem to be steady.
However, there is a possible threat to this owl. Deforestation, which is when forests are cut down, could harm the species.
