[order] STRIGIFORMES | [family] Strigidae | [latin] Ninox sumbaensis | [authority] Olsen, Wink, Sauer-Gurth and Trost, 2002 | [UK] Little Sumba Hawk-Owl | [FR] Ninoxe mineure | [DE] Not yet named | [ES] Not yet named | [NL] Kleine soemba-valkuil
Subspecies
Monotypic species
Genus
Members of the genus Ninox are hawk owls, ranging from small to large, with rounded heads without ear-tufts. They have long, pointed wings and a long tail. The nostrils are forward facing on an enlarged cere in an indistinct facial disk. There are at least 20 species in this genus, from Siberia through much of the Pacific rim, South-east Asia and Australasia.
Physical charateristics
The face is Grey with white eye-brows, while the crown is greyish with fine barring. The bill goes from horn to yellow at the tip. Eyes are yellow.
The throat is rufous with dark stripes and the lower breast is white with dark stripes. Upper parts are light brown with fine, widely spaced dark brown stripes. Scapulars are white. The underside of the flight feathers are barred rufous and cream, and the upperside is barred rufous and dark brown. The tail has 12-13 dark brown bars on a light rufous-brown background. The legs are feathered on the front down to the toes, but almost bare on the back. The toes have bristly feathers on the top. Feet are yellow, as are the claws, which have have a grey-black tip (owlpages.com).
The throat is rufous with dark stripes and the lower breast is white with dark stripes. Upper parts are light brown with fine, widely spaced dark brown stripes. Scapulars are white. The underside of the flight feathers are barred rufous and cream, and the upperside is barred rufous and dark brown. The tail has 12-13 dark brown bars on a light rufous-brown background. The legs are feathered on the front down to the toes, but almost bare on the back. The toes have bristly feathers on the top. Feet are yellow, as are the claws, which have have a grey-black tip (owlpages.com).
| wingspan min.: | 51 | cm | wingspan max.: | 53 | cm |
| size min.: | 23 | cm | size max.: | 24 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 0 | eggs min.: | 0 | ||
| eggs max.: | 0 |
Range
Australasia : Sumba
Habitat
It appears to be limited to patches of primary, disturbed primary and secondary forest from 600-950 m on Sumba.
Reproduction
No data
Feeding habits
No data
Conservation
This poorly known species is treated as Near Threatened as it is thought to have a moderately small population which has almost certainly declined through forest clearance within its range. Further research is a priority for improving this assessment of its status.
Ninox sumbaensis was recently formally described, although the taxa has been known to ornithologists since the late 1980s. It is currently very poorly known and has only been recorded from three localities on Sumba, Indonesia.
Ninox sumbaensis was recently formally described, although the taxa has been known to ornithologists since the late 1980s. It is currently very poorly known and has only been recorded from three localities on Sumba, Indonesia.
Migration
Presumed sedentary
Distribution map
