Mindanao boobook

Species of owl

Mindanao boobook

Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]

CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]

Scientific classification
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

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.

## Description and taxonomy

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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 18cm. This is smaller than the Mindoro boobook and Sulu boobook which are 20cm tall. These species are dwarfed by the much larger Camiguin boobook, Romblon boobook and Cebu boobook at 25cm tall.[5]

## Ecology and behaviour

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It primarily feeds on insects but like other boobooks assumed to also feed on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and possibly even birds. Not much is known about its breeding habits. Nestling was found in march. [6]

## Habitat and conservation status

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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.[7]

## References

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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. ^ a b c Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Guides. pp. 172–177.
6. ^ del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Marks, Jeffrey S. (2020). "Mindanao Boobook (Ninox spilocephala), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.minboo1.01. ISSN 2771-3105.
7. ^ 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.

* Kennedy, R.S., Gonzales P.C., Dickinson E.C., Miranda Jr, H.C., Fisher T.H. (2000) A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Taxon identifiers

Ninox spilocephala|

* Wikidata: Q180696
* Wikispecies: Ninox spilocephala
* Avibase: 581CA4FF6396A3BC
* BirdLife: 22728252
* BOW: minboo1
* CoL: 47FKQ
* eBird: minboo1
* EoL: 4430628
* GBIF: 7440053
* iNaturalist: 339610
* ITIS: 1063264
* IUCN: 22728252
* NCBI: 1454670
* Open Tree of Life: 5560042
* Xeno-canto: Ninox-spilocephala