The Sulawesi masked owl is a species of owl in the family Tytonidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Sangihe and Peleng. It is listed by the IUCN as being of least concern.
Region
Wallacea (Indonesia)
Typical Environment
Found on Sulawesi and adjacent islands including Sangihe and Peleng. Occupies primary and secondary tropical moist forests, forest edges, and mosaic landscapes with plantations and rice fields. It roosts in large trees, forest ravines, and occasionally in quiet buildings or cliff crevices. Activity and hunting concentrate along edges where open ground meets cover. It tolerates modified habitats provided prey is abundant and tall roosting sites are available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Sulawesi masked owl is a large, elusive barn-owl endemic to Sulawesi and nearby islands. It favors forest edges and agroforests, often hunting rodents around villages at night. Like other Tyto owls, it flies silently thanks to specialized feather structure. It is seldom seen but often detected by its harsh screeches after dusk.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
silent flier with slow buoyant wingbeats and short glides
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in bonded pairs. Pairs maintain territories year-round and nest in large tree cavities, cliffs, or occasionally buildings. They lay small clutches and both adults attend the young, with the female brooding while the male provisions.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are harsh, drawn-out screeches and rasping screams, often delivered from a perch after dusk. Also gives hisses and grating chatter near the nest. Vocal activity peaks at night and increases during breeding.
Plumage
Upperparts dark chocolate-brown with pale speckling; underparts buff to rufous with fine dark spots; heart-shaped facial disc darkly masked with a contrasting pale rim; legs well feathered.
Diet
Primarily preys on small mammals such as rats and shrews, helping control agricultural pests. It also takes small birds, large insects, and occasionally reptiles or amphibians. Prey is typically detected by sound and seized during low, coursing flights along edges or from a perch-and-pounce strategy.
Preferred Environment
Hunts along forest margins, over plantations, fallow fields, and village outskirts where prey is abundant and cover is nearby. Roosts by day in dense foliage or cavities in mature trees and emerges at dusk to forage.
