Sooty Owl
A species of Tyto Scientific name : Tyto tenebricosa Genus : Tyto
Sooty Owl, A species of Tyto
Botanical name: Tyto tenebricosa
Genus: Tyto
Content
Description General Info
Description
The greater sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa) is a medium to large owl found in south-eastern Australia, Montane rainforests of New Guinea and have been seen on Flinders Island in the Bass Strait. They have a finely white spotted head with scattered white spots on the wings. The females are lighter colored than the males. The females' length is 37–43 cm and weighs 750-1200 g. The smaller male has a length of 37–43 cm and weighs 500-700 g. The wing length is 30–40 cm. The large dark eyes are set in a round large facial disk. The facial disk is dark gray-silver or sooty black (changing with age) and has a heavy black edge. The upper part of the owl is black to dark gray and the under part is lighter. The tail is short and the legs are feathered. The feet and talons are large. Their call is a piercing shriek which can last up to two seconds. The lesser sooty owl (T. multipunctata), is sometimes considered to be conspecific with this species, in which case they are then together referred to as sooty owls. It is substantially smaller and occurs in the wet tropics region of North Queensland, Australia. 
Size
37 - 51 cm
Feeding Habits
Sooty Owl primarily preys on large arboreal marsupials and various mammals including possums, bandicoots, and rodents. They occasionally hunt birds, bats, and insects, adapting their diet post-human settlement to include more arboreal creatures.
Habitat
Sooty Owl habitat preferences are predominantly moist forests characterized by deep gullies with tall eucalyptus trees and dense undergrowth of rainforest species and tree ferns. These birds are generally found in areas with a mix of wet forest understorey and smooth-barked trees that offer roosting and breeding opportunities. For hunting, sooty Owl may venture into drier forests and clearings, but they maintain their primary residence in the humid regions. Their geographical range spans from lowland to montane rainforests, including cloud forests and even alpine grasslands, though typically up to around 4000 meters in elevation. In addition to native forests, sooty Owl also inhabits areas with introduced species like silver wattle and utilizes mature trees with hollows for nesting.
Dite type
Carnivorous
General Info
Behavior
Greater sooty owls are territorial and are thought to remain in the same area throughout their adult lives. Sooty owls have a distinctive range of calls including typical barn owl like rasps and screams, a distinctive "falling bomb" call and an insect like twitter used during close contact with other sooty owls.
