Giant owl

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Giant owl
PowerfulOwl.jpg

Giant owl ( Ninox strictua )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Owls (Strigiformes)
Family : Real owls (Strigidae)
Genre : Bush owls ( Ninox )
Type : Giant owl
Scientific name
Ninox strictua
( Gould , 1838)
Giant owl with prey, Lane Cove National Park , Sydney

The powerful owl ( Ninox strenua ), also known as Big Buschkauz called, belongs to the family of authentics owl to the genus Buschkäuze . Giant owls live mainly along the coast in southeast Australia . They feed on smaller birds, mammals, and insects. Despite the small number of breeding pairs, the giant owl is not considered endangered by the IUCN . Giant owls need very large territories, which they defend vigorously against conspecifics. In Australia, this species of owl can increasingly be observed in the outskirts of cities. Your calls can be heard all year round.

features

Giant owls reach a body length between 56 and 60 centimeters. The tail amounts to 35 to 27 centimeters. The beak has a length of 3.1 to 3.3 centimeters. The weight is between 1.5 and 1.7 kilograms. There is no noticeable gender dimorphism . Males, however, are slightly larger than the females and are usually slightly darker in color on the top of the body. It is also believed that giant owls have darker plumage the older they are.

The top of the body of the giant owl is dark brown with isabel-colored to cream-colored transverse bands. The chest and flanks are white with reddish brown, broadly V-shaped spots. The head is brown, in most individuals the plumage around the eyes is darker than the rest of the head plumage. The tail is brown with isabel-colored to dreme-colored transverse bands. The legs are feathered, the toes are yellowish. The toes are of different lengths. The first is noticeably longer than the middle, and the third toe is the shortest. The beak is gray.

Way of life

They live solitary, as a couple or in family groups during the breeding season. Their marriage usually lasts a lifetime. They are nocturnal and sleep in large, safe trees during the day. They are resident birds that defend a territory as a pair. The area size is around 1000 hectares. Big owls seem like good and safe fliers, but their technique is very slow. They take special care of their nest during the breeding season. When this time ends, other conspecifics are also allowed to enter their territory, but a certain distance is always maintained. Giant owls do not come to the ground and find their prey alone in the treetops. They mostly eat possums . In some regions of the range, smaller birds also make up part of the diet.

The breeding season falls from March to September. They normally breed in large tree hollows. The female breeds alone. However, the male brings food to the nest so that females rarely go hunting during the breeding season.

Etymology and history of research

John Gould described the owl by the name Athene? strictua . The type specimen for the description came from New South Wales . In 1837 Brian Houghton Hodgson introduced the new genus Ninox for Ninox nipalensis , which is now a synonym for a subspecies of the falcon owl ( Ninox scutulata lugubris ) ( Tickell , 1833). The giant owl was added to this genus later. This is made up of " Nisos , Νῖσος " for "falcon" and the Latin "noctua" for "owl, consecrated after the Roman goddess Minerva ". In Greek mythology, Nisus, the king of Megara, turned into a falcon. The specific epithet »strenua« comes from the Latin »restless, lively«.

Trivia

The large flying squirrel bucket , an important prey animal for the giant owl, reacts very violently to the calls of the giant owl. To the calls of this kind they show violent reactions from a distance of one kilometer. They are usually approaching the location from which the call is made. The behavior of the Gleithornbeutler is interpreted to the effect that they rule this owl species with clear hatred .

literature

  • Claus König, Friedhelm Weick, Jan-Hendrik Becking: Owls of the World . 2nd Edition. Christopher Helm, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2 ( online [accessed December 17, 2014]).
  • James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
  • John Gould: A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent Islands . 3, plate 12, figure 2, & text. Published the Author, London 1838 ( online [accessed December 16, 2014]).
  • Brian Houghton Hodgson: Indication of a new Genus belonging to the Stringe Family, with Description of New Species and Type . In: Madras Journal of Literature and Science published under the Auspieces of the Madras Literary Society and Auxilliary of the Royal Asiatic Society . tape 5 , no. 15 , 1837, pp. 23-25 ( online [accessed December 16, 2014]).
  • Ronald Strahan: Cuckoos, Nightbirds & Kingfishers of Australia . Angus & Robertson, Sydney 1994, ISBN 0-207-18522-0 .

Web links

Commons : Giant Owl ( Ninox strictua )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Grzimek's animal life. Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom , Vol. 8, Kindler Verlag, Zurich 1969, p. 399
  2. ^ Strahan: Cuckoos, Nightbirds & Kingfishers of Australia . P. 70.
  3. ^ A b c Strahan: Cuckoos, Nightbirds & Kingfishers of Australia . P. 74.
  4. ^ John Gould, Plate 12, Figure 2, & text.
  5. ^ Brian Houghton Hodgson, pp. 23f.
  6. ↑ James A. Jobling, p. 272.
  7. ↑ James A. Jobling, p. 367.
  8. ^ Strahan: Cuckoos, Nightbirds & Kingfishers of Australia . P. 72.