Sulu boobook | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Strigiformes |
Family: | Strigidae |
Genus: | Ninox |
Species complex: | Philippine hawk-owl species complex |
Species: | N. reyi |
Binomial name | |
Ninox reyi Oustalet, 1880 | |
Purple: Sulu Hawk Owl N. reyi |
The Sulu boobook or Sulu hawk-owl (Ninox reyi) 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. [3] It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
EBird describes the bird as "A fairly small owl of forest on the Sulu Islands. Uniformly barred, with brown upperparts and head, orange-brown underparts, white speckling on the wing, a broken pale bar behind the shoulder, a pale belly, long whiskers around the face, and yellow eyes. Note the white throat patch. Probably the only owl in its range except for Mantanani scops owl, but Sulu boobook is rufous rather than gray and lacks the black line around the face. Voice includes strange clucking notes starting with a rapid series ending in three slower notes: 'kukukukukuku klok-klok-klok'." [4]
Among the species complex, this owl is unique with its call of a series of clucks rather than the typical screeching of the other Philippine hawk-owls in the species complex. It is distinguished by the heavy barring on its head and belly, white throat-patch and facial disk.
It is medium-sized at 20 cm tall, along with the Mindoro boobook within Philippine hawk-owl species complex. This is in between the larger Camiguin boobook, Romblon boobook and Cebu boobook at 25 cm and the smaller Luzon boobook and Mindanao boobook, which are 15 to 18 cm tall. [5]
Its habitat is in tropical moist lowland primary and secondary forests up to 700 meters above sea level. It is also occasionally seen on forest edge, clearings and plantations. [5] On Tawi-Tawi, the species is also found in mature mangroves and large trees in the vicinity of villages [6]
The IUCN Red List classifies this bird as vulnerable with population estimates of 1,000 to 2,499 mature individuals. 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 or palm oil plantations and urbanization. Due to the rapid loss of habitat in the Sulu Archipelago, many of the birds endemic to the region like the Sulu hornbill, Tawitawi brown dove, blue-winged racket-tail and the Sulu pygmy woodpecker are threatened with extinction.
There is no species-specific conservation program at present.
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.
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The Manus boobook, Manus hawk owl, Admiralty hawk owl or Admiralty Islands hawk owl is a small owl. It has an unmarked brown facial disk, rufous crown and back, barred white flight feathers and tail, and whitish underparts with rufous streaking. Its call is repeated growling, like that of a frog.
The Sulu hornbill, or Montano's hornbill, is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to the Sulu archipelago in the Philippines, with the remaining populations in Tawi-Tawi with it believed to be hunted to extinction on Jolo. Its natural habitat is tropical moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss as well as potential harvesting for food. Its diet includes fruit, insects, and small lizards.
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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.
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The Sulu pygmy woodpecker, also known as the Sulu woodpecker, is a species of bird in the family Picidae. Formerly lumped with the Philippine pygmy woodpecker, it seems to form a superspecies with this and the Sulawesi pygmy woodpecker. Some taxonomic authorities continue to place this species in the genus Dendrocopos or Picoides.
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
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The Mindanao boobook or Mindanao hawk-owl 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. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Mindoro boobook or Mindoro hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines.
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.
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.
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