Scientific Name: Tyto novaehollandiae

The female masked owl is larger than the male, measuring about 47 cm in length, where as the males are about 37 cm in length. They are a robust owl with a crouched posture. The eyes are black eyes inside a round, dark-bordered face mask which is a dark chestnut colour. The back is dark brown with fawn patches and white flecks, while the undersides are buff coloured with dark spots.

Did You Know? If cornered or threatened, masked owls sway from side to side spread their wings and hiss and snap their beaks.

Habitat: They live in forests and woodlands. During the day the owls roost in hollows in trees or rock crevices. They are distributed around coastal Australia within a few hundred kilometres of the sea. In Tasmania where there are no other large owls, masked owls are the biggest and darkest of all. With no owl competitors, they occupy a wider variety of habitat and occur in greater numbers than anywhere in Australia.

Diet: The masked owl eats small mammals, reptiles and occasionally birds. Due to its larger size, the Tasmanian race feeds regularly on rabbits.

Reproduction: The breeding season varies according to food supplies. They prefer the big hollows of trees to nest, usually at a considerable height. They lay two or three pearly-white, oval-shaped eggs. The female stays in the nest initially with the male ferrying food to her and the chicks. It is three months before the young learn to fly.