The Powerful Owl mates for life (over 30 years in some cases) and pairs defend an all-purpose territory year-round. Also, their beaks and talons are very sharp, so you'd also need a stock of bandages. ), European hare (Lepus europaeus) and European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), especially the abundant young of the latter after their litters disperse, are also hunted. 10-20 yrs. Powerful Owl on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerful_owl, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22689389/93229550. The male does all hunting and sometimes aggressively defends the nesting during the brooding stage. The protruding bill and distinct brow ridges enhance the hawk-like appearance of the species. ", Cooke, R., and Wallis, R. (2004). An owl's sharp beak and powerful talons allow it to kill its prey before swallowing it whole (if it is not too big). As a relatively geographically restricted species, there are no subspecies and no known geographic variation in the powerful owl. Specific populations have been estimated in such areas: fewer than 500 pairs (1,000 individuals) in Victoria; approximately 1,000-1,500 pairs in north-east New South Wales (approximately 2,000-3,000 individuals) and approximately 125 pairs (250 individuals) in south-east New South Wales. The male prepares the nest, which is usually a vertical hollow in a large old tree, and provides the female and young with a constant supply of food during the early part of the nesting period. In, Kavanagh, R. P. (2002). Not infrequently, prey weight averages between 50 and 100%, whereas in most other raptors, including large owls, there seems to be a "rule" that most prey weighs 20% or less of the raptors own weight. ", Mo, M., Hayler, P., Waterhouse, D. R., & Hayler, A. The upperparts are a dark grey-brown colour, mottled and barred with whitish. [14] Introduced mammals, namely rats (Rattus spp. Powerful owls typically fly in a slow and deliberate way on their large wings. Pavey, C. R., Smyth, A. K., & Mathieson, M. T. (1994). For example: These owls do not do as well in heavily developed areas or in monocultures even if the plantation is made up of a native tree. [2][3], The powerful owl has a long tail and a small head, lending it an atypical silhouette for an owl and imparting a more hawk-like appearance than any other large owl. Unlike in a vast majority of owl species, the male is slightly larger than the female on average. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range rarely more than 200 km (120 mi) inland. [3], The powerful owl lives permanently in breeding pairs once in adulthood. In one case, a pair of Australian ravens (Corvus coronoides) attacked and killed a powerful owl, likely in order to defend themselves and their nest.[25]. It also depends on whether or not they are in captivity. Although usually associated with subcoastal forest, they can be found on inland mountain slopes occasionally. The breeding territory of powerful owls is large. Even when food is abundant, territories are at least 800 to 1,000 ha (2,000 to 2,500 acres). "The impact of predation by the powerful owl, Ninox strenua, on a population of the greater glider, Petauroides volans. [2] They will also occasionally range into plantations, mainly of pine or native tree species, and urban and rural parks and gardens. It is a typically territorial raptorial bird that maintains a large home range and has long intervals between egg-laying and hatching of clutches. Such prey can comprise about three-quarters of their diet. (2006). [15] The average estimated prey weight per one study was approximately 176 g (6.2 oz). [3], Range is from Eungella and the Dawson River in Queensland south to the central highlands of Victoria and west to Mount Burr in South Australia, the range terminating around Portland, Victoria. "Powerful owl preying on an Australian brush-turkey in Sydney. On average, nests of breeding pairs are found from 5 to 20 km (3.1 to 12.4 mi) apart. There are more than 200 species of owls and depending on the species, an owl's life expectancy can range from 1 year for a short-lived species, such as the barn owl, to as long as 10 years in the case of a screech owl. Only 15% of the ringtail possums caught in one food study were full-grown adults. [7] The young fledge at 6 to 8 weeks. [3][7][16][18][19] In one study, the most frequently killed bird prey species were pied currawong (Strepera graculina) and crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) and avian prey taken as a whole was estimated to average 350 g (12 oz). [14], The powerful owl breeds in the Australian winter, with breeding occurring mainly in May and June and brooding at the nest into September. They prefer wetter, more timbered areas such as sclerophyll forests. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range rarely more than 200 km (120 mi) inland. The wing chord length further illustrates slight sexual dimorphism in favor of the male, with the male measuring 397 to 434 mm (15.6 to 17.1 in) and the female measuring 381 to 410 mm (15.0 to 16.1 in). If that weren't enough, an owl can live for more than 30 years, so you'd be donning your industrial-strength gloves and flinging gerbils into its cage for many years. Powerful owls can be found in wooded mountain gullies, forested ravines, wetter, heavily timbered sub-coastal ranges, coastal forests and woodland, and coastal scrub. [16] Caching of part-eaten prey remains has been recorded, although caching of prey is a far more common behaviour in barking owls. Also, they are often victim to and occasionally even injured by heavy mobbing by larger passerines such as currawongs, magpies, and crows and ravens. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range rarely more than 200 km (120 mi) inland. 2. Young powerful owls are mostly off-white with a greyish-brown mask and grey on the wings and coverts, obviously distinct from the adult plumage. Powerful owls usually use several perches that may be occupied intermittently for years at a time. [2] The facial disc is ill-defined. "Observations of hunting attacks by the powerful owl Ninox strenua and an examination of search and attack techniques. The female has a similar call but has a higher pitched voice. Its diet consists largely of arboreal marsupials such as the greater glider (Petauroides volans), ringtail possums (Pseudocheiridae), brushtail possums (Trichosurus spp. Powerful owls have very large breeding territories. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species also refers to this species as the powerful boobook. "Further observations on the breeding biology of the powerful owl Ninox strenua in south-eastern Australia. This is largely because its prey is dependent on native and diverse forests. [17], Not infrequently taken are the black (Pteropus alecto) and grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus), the largest of Australian bats, although smaller bats have also been killed. This species generally glides from perch to perch, watching for prey activity in surrounding trees until potential prey is detected. [2][29], Seebeck, J. H. (1976). It depends oddly enough, on the size of the owl. The powerful owl (Ninox strenua) is a species of owl native to south-eastern and eastern Australia, the largest owl on the continent. "Comparative diets of the powerful owl (Ninox strenua), sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa) and masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) in southeastern Australia. ), koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) and feathertail gliders (Acrobates pygmaeus). [16] However, another two studies stated the mean prey weight as 386.7 g (13.64 oz) and 323.2 g (11.40 oz). However, some overlap in the diet was recorded between all 3 species and a certain level of competition was predicted, in which the powerful owl would presumably be dominant. It can be considered, along with its sister species the rufous owl (Ninox rufa), as Australia's analogue to the genus Bubo. ), honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and crows and ravens (Corvus spp.). If the prey becomes aware of the owl too soon, a tail-chase may ensue but many prey species (even diurnal ones such as large passerines) can successfully evade the large predator. ), superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), olive-backed oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), currawongs (Strepera spp. (2007). Egg-laying intervals are up to 4 days between the first and second egg, an unusually long interval for an owl. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species also refers to this species as the powerful boobook. A nestling still naps, but not as often. Pizzey, Graham, and Knight, Frank (2000). The tail can be 280 mm (11 in) or more in length, the fifth longest of any owl with only the great grey (Strix nebulosa) and ural owls (Strix uralensis) having proportionately longer tails.