Boobook owl fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are boobook owls?

The boobook owl (Ninox boobook), also called the southern boobook, is a small owl found across mainland Australia and Tasmania. At about 28–36 centimetres long, it is Australia’s smallest and most common owl. Its two-part call gives the bird its name.

Boobooks have dark brown feathers above and rufous-brown feathers below, marked with white spots and streaks. Their rounded facial disc surrounds large yellowish eyes. They are mostly active at night and are often seen perched on an open branch or treetop.

Boobooks live in varied habitats, from dense forest and woodland to heath, rural and urban areas. They shelter in dense foliage or tree hollows, and hunt at night for insects and small animals. Their calls and hunting behaviour can help students explore how animals find food and use habitat.

A boobook owl

Boobook owls are one of Australia’s smallest owls.

Where do boobook owls live?

Boobook owls occur throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania, including eastern NSW. They use many habitats, from dense forests and open woodlands to heath, rural areas and urban bushland. Their ability to live in different settings means they may be heard near towns as well as in larger areas of bushland.

During the day, boobooks shelter in dense foliage or tree hollows. At night, they often hunt from a suitable perch, where they can watch and listen for prey. Trees and vegetation can provide both resting places and access to feeding areas.

A boobook photographed at Sydney Olympic Park.

What do boobook owls eat?

Boobook owls eat insects, small mammals and other small animals. Moths are among their flying prey, and they may also catch small bats. They hunt mostly at night, though they can be active in the morning or afternoon, especially on cloudy days.

From a tall perch, a boobook watches and listens for prey. It can catch flying animals in mid-air or pounce on animals moving on the ground. This hunting behaviour allows it to feed on animals that are active in different parts of its habitat.

Moths are among the flying prey caught by boobook owls.

What do boobook owls sound like?

Boobook owls make a distinctive two-part “boo-book” call. Their calls are often heard at night, when the birds are active. Listening for calls can help people notice an owl that is difficult to see among tree foliage.

What is the life cycle of boobook owls?

Boobooks usually nest in tree hollows. A hollow may be bare or lightly lined with leaves, small twigs or wood shavings. Breeding takes place mainly from September to February, especially in October. A female usually lays two or three eggs, though a nest may sometimes contain up to five.

The female incubates the eggs. Both parents feed the young, and sometimes another female helps. Young boobooks stay in the nest for about 42 days before leaving it. Suitable nesting hollows are important because they provide a sheltered place for eggs and growing chicks.

Boobooks and other birds use tree hollows as nesting places.

What adaptations do boobook owls have to help them survive?

Boobooks are active mainly at night. Their large yellowish eyes and strong hearing help them detect prey in dim light. From a perch, they can watch and listen for movement before flying to catch an animal.

Their brown and rufous feathers, marked with white spots and streaks, can help them blend among branches and foliage. Their hunting behaviour also supports survival: they can catch flying prey in the air or pounce on animals moving along the ground.

A boobook’s large eyes and facial disc are visible among its brown and pale feathers.

Why are boobook owls important?

Boobook owls are predators that eat insects, small mammals and other small animals. By hunting prey in the air and on the ground, they connect different species in food webs and transfer energy from the animals they eat.

Boobooks also depend on places to shelter, hunt and nest. Their need for prey, vegetation and tree hollows shows how animals rely on several habitat features. Protecting bushland and mature trees helps retain these features for boobooks and other wildlife.

Southern boobooks are predators in their food webs.

How can you help boobook owls?

Protect native bushland and mature trees, including trees with hollows. Boobooks use foliage for shelter and hollows for nesting. When visiting bushland, stay on tracks, leave vegetation and nests undisturbed, and observe owls quietly from a distance.

At school or home, caring for native vegetation can help maintain habitat for birds and the small animals they eat. If you hear a boobook at night, listen without approaching it or trying to make it leave its resting place.

Tree hollows provide shelter and nesting places for wildlife.

Related fact sheets

More bird fact sheets

• Birds fact sheet⁠ – Learn about bird features, habitats, life cycles and adaptations.
• Powerful owl fact sheet⁠ – Compare the boobook with a larger owl that hunts at night.
• Tawny frogmouth fact sheet⁠ – Find out why this nocturnal bird is often mistaken for an owl.
• Laughing kookaburra fact sheet⁠ – Learn about another bird that hunts small animals from a perch.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Tree habitat fact sheet⁠ – Explore how branches, foliage and hollows provide food, shelter and nesting places.
• Eucalypt forest ecosystems fact sheet⁠ – Discover how living things interact in a tree-rich forest ecosystem.
• Field of Mars Reserve environment fact sheet⁠ – Explore the reserve’s bushland, ecosystems and habitats.

Animals that use tree habitats

• Common brushtail possum fact sheet⁠ – Learn about a mammal that shelters in tree hollows and other protected places.
• Common ringtail possum fact sheet⁠ – Discover a tree-dwelling mammal that uses branches and leafy shelters.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Insects fact sheet⁠ – Explore insects, including animals that can form part of a boobook’s diet.
• Mammals fact sheet⁠ – Learn about the mammal group that includes some small animals eaten by owls.

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