Philippine Hawk-owl
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Hawk-Owl (Ninox philippensis) is a species of owl
in the Strigidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines
.
N. p. philippensis has a white spot the eyes and the beak
and a white moustache forming an x-shape on the head. The upper parts of all subspecies are brown and the wings are covered with oval shaped white spots. The tail is dark brown with narrow white stripes. The sides of the head are brown, the chin is of a whitish colour, while the rest of the bottom side is pale white with wide brown stripes (which are more prominent on the belly). The bottom side of the tail is white. The chequered subspecies have these chequered patterns on the bottom side, on the head, the upper parts of the back and the wings. The paws are halfway covered with feathers. The beak is olive coloured. The paws are pale yellow.
This species grows (including the tail) to a length of 21 to 26,5 cm and has a wingspan of 16,5 to 20,5 cm.
Local this bird is known as kuwago, like other large owls.
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species mates around February. The nests can be found in hollow trees.
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
in the Strigidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Description
The Philippine Hawk-Owl is an earless species. The males and females look much alike. The subspecies differ in size and pattern on the bottom side. N. p. reyi and N. p. spilonota are the biggest and N. p. philippensis, N. p. spilocephala and N. p. mindorensis the smallest. The pattern on the bottom side of N. p. reyi, N. p. spilonota and N. p. mindorensis is checked. The pattern on all the other subspecies is striped.N. p. philippensis has a white spot the eyes and the beak
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
and a white moustache forming an x-shape on the head. The upper parts of all subspecies are brown and the wings are covered with oval shaped white spots. The tail is dark brown with narrow white stripes. The sides of the head are brown, the chin is of a whitish colour, while the rest of the bottom side is pale white with wide brown stripes (which are more prominent on the belly). The bottom side of the tail is white. The chequered subspecies have these chequered patterns on the bottom side, on the head, the upper parts of the back and the wings. The paws are halfway covered with feathers. The beak is olive coloured. The paws are pale yellow.
This species grows (including the tail) to a length of 21 to 26,5 cm and has a wingspan of 16,5 to 20,5 cm.
Systematics and taxonomy
There are eight known subspecies:- Ninox philippensis centralis (BoholBoholBohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, BoracayBoracayBoracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards numerous times. Boracay was awarded in the "Travelers' Choice...
, Carabao, GuimarasGuimarasGuimaras is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan. The island is located in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros...
, Negros, PanayPanayPanay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
, Semirara and SiquijorSiquijorSiquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
) - Ninox philippensis mindorensis (MindoroMindoroMindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
) - Ninox philippensis philippensis (BiliranBiliranIn 1945 liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces of the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was landed in Biliran with the local guerrilla forces by the attack of the Japanese troops from the island during the Battle of Biliran during World War II.-Conversion:On April...
, Buad, CatanduanesCatanduanesCatanduanes is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the province is 232,757 people.-Etymology:"Isla de Cobos" was Catanduanes' first...
, LeyteLeyteLeyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, MarinduqueMarinduqueIn 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...
, PolilloPolillo IslandPolillo is an island in the Northeastern region of the Philippine archipelago. It is separated from the island of Luzon by the Polillo Strait.The island itself is subdivided across three municipalities. The municipality of Polillo takes up the Southern part of the island...
and SamarSamarSamar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
) - Ninox philippensis proxima (MasbateMasbateMasbate is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.-History:...
) - Ninox philippensis reyi (Bongao, JoloJoloJolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
, Sanga Sanga, Siasi, Sibutu and Tawi-TawiTawi-TawiTawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . The capital of Tawi-Tawi is Bongao. The province is the southernmost of the country sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah and the Indonesian East Kalimantan province. To the...
) - Ninox philippensis spilocephala (BasilanBasilanThe Province of Basilan is an island province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula...
, Dinagat, MindanaoMindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
and Siargao) - Ninox philippensis spilonota (CamiguinCamiguinCamiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
, CebuCebuCebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
, Sibuyan and Tablas) - Ninox philippensis ticaoensis (Ticao)
Local this bird is known as kuwago, like other large owls.
Ecology
The Philippine Hawk-Owl can be found in forest areas up to 1800 metres, although they mostly reside in areas below 1000 metres above sea level. Its natural habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species mates around February. The nests can be found in hollow trees.
