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Bird Gallery
Did You Know?
3 Facts"The Rufous Owl is part of a trio of large Australian hawk-owls, alongside the Powerful Owl and Southern Boobook, representing three size classes of related nocturnal predators."
Field Guide
Rufous Owl
The Rufous Owl is Australia’s only exclusively tropical owl and one of the country’s largest nocturnal birds. This formidable predator is found in northern Australia, with a patchy distribution from the Kimberley across Arnhem Land to Cape York and eastern Queensland. Its rich reddish-brown plumage and powerful build make it a striking but elusive resident of tropical forests, where it hunts by night and roosts in dense foliage by day.
Distribution Map
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Top Locations
Curated birding spots where the Rufous Owl has been recorded.
- Cape TribulationKey spot🔥 ActiveQueensland · 3 species · seen 2 days ago
- George Brown Darwin Botanic GardensKey spot🔥 ActiveNorthern Territory · 12 species · 16 sightings · seen 24 days ago
- Mcminns LagoonKey spot🔥 ActiveNorthern Territory · 10 species · 13 sightings · seen 16 days ago
- Berry Springs Nature ParkKey spotNorthern Territory · 2 species · 3 sightings · seen 50 days ago
- Cooinda (Kakadu NP)Key spotNorthern Territory · 4 species · seen 83 days ago
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