Powerful Owl?

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lyndap
lyndap's picture
Powerful Owl?

We spotted a large owl sitting on the neigbour's clothes line just over a week ago. Our best guess looking at our bird book was that it was a Powerful Owl (certainly the only one in the book near the size of our owl). The call is a double hoot like a recording I found somewhere on the birds in backyards site, but it's repeated - say 8 - 10 hoots then a pause.

We live in Petersham. It's a really built up location, but there are a number of large gums nearby that might provide a suitable home. We aren't really "bird" people so would value any insights. Haven't managed to see it again, but we hear it most nights now.

My question is could this really be a powerful owl or are we just being wildly optimistic?

heva1
heva1's picture

Hi Lyndap.... I'm no expert and I'm hoping someone more knowledgable will add to this thread... I'm wondering if it's a Tawny Frogmouth? they have a sort of haunting repetitive double hoot. Try listening to the 'powerful owl call in MP3 format' on this website and comparing to 'Tawny Frogmouth call'... see which you think it sounds closest to.

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best

lyndap
lyndap's picture

Hi Hev,

I think you might be right. Sounds more like a Tawny Frogmouth. We didn't even consider that one because it wasn't with the owls in our book. I'm now trying to get another good look at it, preferably with my camera in hand, but not having much luck.
Thanks for the advice.

Lynda

magpie
magpie's picture

Most likely a tawny. Which is not an owl.

I'd hazard a guess that you're never going to get a powerful owl in the inner city... they struggle enough to survive in their more suitable habitat areas let alone near the city.

lyndap
lyndap's picture

Hi Magpie,

What you say makes sense. We keep trying to get a proper look at it, but no luck.

Lynda

moikel
moikel's picture

Hi, I live very close to Petersham & have spotted a large owl,ninox, hunting along the stormwater canal/railway line on the border of Leichhardt/Haberfield.He? was definitely not a Tawny Frogmouth & he was big.Powerful owls ,ninox strenua, love possums no shortage of them in the innerwest or flying foxs another major food item.

lyndap
lyndap's picture

Hi, This makes my partner happy - he was certain our owl wasn't a tawny frogmouth. It seems to have moved on now, so I suspect we'll never know for sure.
Lynda

moikel
moikel's picture

It might be wishful thinking on my part that powerfull owls can live in innercity but they are defintely in Waringah/Hornsby/Sutherland shires at least.I would also think there would be at least one pair in Lane Cove park.They range over big areas so who knows? The owl I saw was at about 20 minutes after dusk classic ninox(hawk owls) time for hunting.He was only 50 metres from Lambert park soccer ground in Marion street so lights & noise didnt bother him as much as me blundering around in the undergrowth trying to get a better look up at him. He gave me a very stern look!

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