Mindanao boobook

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Mindanao boobook
Mindanao Boobook (cropped).jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Ninox
Species complex: Philippine hawk-owl species complex
Species:
N. spilocephala
Binomial name
Ninox spilocephala
Tweeddale, 1879
Philippine Hawk Owl distribution.PNG
Green: Mindanao Hawk Owl N. spilocephala

The Mindanao boobook or Mindanao hawk-owl (Ninox spilocephala) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines on the island of Mindanao. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it a distinct species. [3] It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Contents

Description

EBird describes the bird as "A fairly small owl of lowland forest on Mindanao. Dark brown on the head and upperparts with speckles on the wing, a reddish-brown chest, a white belly with thick reddish-brown streaking, and yellowish eyes. Similar to chocolate boobook, but Mindanao is much smaller and lacks any white on the chest. Song is a short three-noted phrase 'boo-woo! boo!' with the first and second notes slurred." [4]

The Mindanao boobook is an earless species. The males and females look much alike.

Among the species complex, this owl is differentiated by its call which sounds closer to a dove than the typical screeching of the boobooks. It also has smaller size and mottled dark and light rufous brown streaking on its breast and whitish belly. [5]

It, along with the even smaller Luzon boobook, are among the smallest in the Philippine hawk-owl species complex, at 18 cm. This is smaller than the Mindoro boobook and Sulu boobook which are 20 cm tall. These species are dwarfed by the much larger Camiguin boobook, Romblon boobook and Cebu boobook at 25 cm tall. [5]

Habitat and conservation status

Its habitat is in tropical moist lowland primary forest. [5]

The IUCN Red List classifies this bird as near-threatened with population believed to be declining. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of legal and illegal logging, mining, conversion into farmlands and plantations and urbanization. Its entire range has suffered extensive lowland deforestation. In 1988, forest cover had been reduced to an estimated 29% on Mindanao, most of it above 1,000 m

There are no species specific conservation programs going on at the moment but conservation actions proposed include more species surveys to better understand habitat and population. initiate education and awareness campaigns to raise the species's profile and instill pride in locals. Lobby for protection of remaining forest. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ninox</i> Genus of birds

Ninox is a genus of true owls comprising 36 species found in Asia and Australasia. Many species are known as hawk-owls or boobooks, but the northern hawk-owl is not a member of this genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Solomons owl</span> Species of owl

The WestSolomons owl, also referred to as the West Solomons boobook, is a small to medium-sized owl, measuring 23–31 cm (9.1–12.2 in) in length. Its upperparts are rusty brown, sometimes spotted or barred with white, its chest is buffy white, sometimes spotted or barred with brown, and its creamy belly is unmarked. It has a grayish-brown facial disc, edged by narrow white eyebrows and a band of white across the throat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellowish bulbul</span> Species of songbird

The yellowish bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on East Visayas, Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The birds of the Sulu archipelago are sometimes considered a separate species called the Sulu bulbul. This species is declining due to habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas boobook</span> Species of owl

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochre-bellied boobook</span> Species of owl

The ochre-bellied boobook or ochre-bellied hawk owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine hawk-owl</span> Species of bird

The Philippine hawk-owl is a species complex of owls in the genus Ninox. They are all endemic to the Philippines.

The least boobook, also known as the little Sumba hawk-owl or little Sumba boobook, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumba. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine leafbird</span> Species of bird

The Philippine leafbird is a species of bird in the family Chloropseidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, Samar and Cebu. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black shama</span> Species of bird

The Black shama is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the island of Cebu, Philippines where it is known locally as "Siloy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The pygmy flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-crested monarch</span> Species of bird

The short-crested monarch is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae and one of the most attractive of all the monarch flycatchers. It is a brilliant ultramarine blue bird with the males having a black facial markings with an electric blue eyering and a short crest contrasted with a pearly white belly. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Camiguin Norte, Polilio, Catanduanes, Samar, Dinagat and Mindanao. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is one of the most sought after birds among birdwatchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindanao pygmy babbler</span> Species of bird

The Mindanao pygmy babbler is a bird species endemic to the Philippines. It had been placed in the family Timaliidae, but it is a close relative of the white-eyes, however, and many taxonomists now place it in the family Zosteropidae..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett's white-eye</span> Species of bird

Everett's white-eye is a bird species in the disputed family Zosteropidae, which might belong with the Old World babblers (Timaliidae). The name commemorates British colonial administrator and zoological collector Alfred Hart Everett. It is only found on the Talaud Islands, Sulu Archipelago and the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist montane forests.

The chocolate boobook is a bird species in the true owl family, Strigidae. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the brown boobook. It was formerly thought to be endemic to the Philippines until it was heard and recorded Karakelang in Indonesia in 1997 but there have been no subsequent records outside the Philippines since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camiguin boobook</span> Species of owl

The Camiguin boobook or Camiguin hawk-owl is an owl species resident to the Camiguin island in the Philippines. It is the only owl in the country with greenish-yellow or grayish eyes. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it a distinct species. Its native name is kugkug

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luzon boobook</span> Species of owl

The Luzon boobook or Luzon hawk owl, also Philippine hawk owl or Philippine boobook, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Philippines where it lives in forests. It is a brown and white mottled bird and males and females look much alike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro boobook</span> Species of owl

The Mindoro boobook or Mindoro hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romblon boobook</span> Species of owl

The Romblon boobook or Romblon hawk-owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines. It is only found on the islands of Tablas, Sibuyan and Romblon. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it was a distinct species. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cebu boobook</span> Species of owl

The Cebu boobook or Cebu hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other data suggested placement in a distinct species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulu boobook</span> Species of owl

The Sulu boobook or Sulu hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it was a distinct species. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Ninox spilocephala". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016. IUCN: e.T22728252A94976596. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728252A94976596.en . Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. New Owl Species: Camiguin Hawk-Owl, Cebu Hawk-Owl Discovered In Philippines
  4. "Mindanao Hawk-owl". Ebird.
  5. 1 2 3 Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Guides. pp. 172–177.
  6. International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (1 October 2016). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ninox spilocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 16 September 2021.