Envirotube: Australia's biggest and most powerful owl.
Peter Clarke has retired though we will be seeing him from time to time in the future. Excellent stills photography provided by Chris Charles. Jacob Sife presents this first episode on the Powerful Owl. As its name implies, this is a top predator that can take very sizable prey, like the ringtail possum.
Directed by Howard Jackson, Wildhoop Productions.
Australia’s largest Owl with a wingspan of up to 135cm. Adult powerful owls are dark brown to grey on top with white flecks or bars. They have large yellow eyes and a comparatively small head. They are white underneath with distinctive darker v-shaped patterns throughout.
Diet
They forage mainly in tree canopies. Prey items include arboreal marsupials such as Ringtail Possums and Sugar Gliders.
Distribution and Habitat
Found in eastern to south-eastern Australia. They generally reside in open forest and woodlands or temperate rainforest gullies. However they have been seen throughout suburban areas adjacent to bushland and are found throughout suburbs of Sydney. They occupy large home ranges all year round which are generally centred on bushland.
Breeding
The Owls require large tree hollows in old-growth eucalypt trees over 200 years old for their nests. They are monogamous birds and within the breeding season of April-September, will lay most commonly two eggs that the female will incubate for around 38 days while the male guards close by.
Call
Powerful Owls have long ranging, distinctive calls. The well-known double note: “whoo-hoo” - distinctive between males and females. Female calls inflect upwards while male calls remain low or be lower on the second note. Visit here and see if you can tell the difference between the different owl calls.
Conservation Status
Listed as “Least Concern” on ICUN redlist. Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable
For more info go to:
www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/About_Ku-ri...
27 июл 2018
