Papuan Boobook
Ninox theomacha
The commonest owl from lowland and montane forest and edge. Fairly small, with dark brown back and rich chocolate brown chest. Short, pale eyebrows forming a V-shape. Birds in some areas have broad white streaks on the belly and white flecking on the back. Often catches flying insects from a perched position. Told from the other co-occuring New Guinea Owls by the smaller size and lack of strong streaks or bars. Call a double, downslurred “hooo-hooo!” with a gravely quality, repeated at intervals.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ninox theomacha
- Authority
- (Bonaparte, 1855)
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Ninox
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Tagula Shrikethrush
Colluricincla discolor
A chunky bird with a notably thick dark bill. Fairly nondescript: olive-brown on the upperparts and paler below. Found at low and middle elevations, in the understory and at middle levels of humid forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of whistles and rasping notes, often in an up-and-down pattern. Within its limited range, most likely to be confused with female Louisiade Whistler, but drabber overall, without yellow underparts.
Hooded Siskin
Spinus magellanicus
Strikingly beautiful siskin found in woodland and grassland with scattered trees and usually highly gregarious; also sometimes associates with mixed-species flocks. Males have a black hood, wings, and tail, and are olive-yellow above and bright yellow below with large yellow wing patches. Females are duller and lack the black hood. The song is a long series of fast and squeaky notes; sometimes many males sing together.
Rufous-breasted Wren
Pheugopedius rutilus
Medium-sized wren. Face and throat are black with dense white spotting, sharply contrasting with orangey-rufous breast. Sexes alike. Forages in the lower and middle levels of second growth and forest edge, preferring viney tangles, often in pairs or small family groups.
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