Masked Owl - Tyto novaehollandiae

Masked Owl - Tyto novaehollandiae

Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae

The Masked Owl is medium size, about 50 cm long, with a rounded facial disc that is surrounded by a dark border. The feet are large and powerful and the legs carry feathers almost down tot he talons.

The Maske Owl appears in various colors, the one that we saw on Lord Howe shows the characteristics of the Tasmanian form. The LH owls have originally been imported from Tasmania and the Australian mainland, but the characteristics of the Tassie Owls seem to dominate the surviving population on Lord Howe.

In winter 2016 I was given an opportunity to see and photograph Australian mainland Masked Owls. I have added some photos of two juvenile birds, which we have seen then.

How much the Lord Howe bird resembles the Tasmanian birds can be seen when comparing photos of the bird I have photographed there with some recent shots of a Tasmanian bird seen in January 2017.

Enjoy and if you like, feel free to provide comments via the Contact page!