- Christmas Boobook
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Christmas Boobook Illustration by Keulemans, 1900 Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Genus: Ninox Species: N. natalis Binomial name Ninox natalis
Forbes, 2006Synonyms - Ninox forbesi natalis
The Christmas Boobook (Ninox natalis), also known as the Christmas Island Hawk-Owl, is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is endemic to Christmas Island. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was discovered in 2006 by Forbes.
The Christmas Boobook is a reddish coloured owl and is closely related to the hawk owls of South-east Asia and Australia.
The species only occurs on Christmas Island and the population is estimated to be around 1000 owls, with 560 breeding pairs. (Credit Richard Hill.) Not until 1998 was the Christmas Island Hawk-owl considered a separate species from other owls.
References
- Owls, Frogmouths and Nightjars of Australia - David Hollands. First published in Australia 2008
- BirdLife International 2006. Ninox natalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 24 July 2007.
External links
Categories:- IUCN Red List vulnerable species
- Ninox
- Fauna of Christmas Island
- Animals described in 1889
- Strigiformes stubs
- Australia stubs
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