The Sumba boobook is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to Sumba in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Lesser Sunda Islands
Typical Environment
Endemic to the island of Sumba, where it occupies tropical dry and moist lowland forests, secondary growth, and forest edges. It also persists in mixed agroforestry mosaics and wooded valleys, provided some tall trees remain for roosting and nesting. The species favors interior and edge habitats with scattered clearings that aid perch-hunting. It roosts in dense foliage by day and becomes active around dusk. Nesting is believed to occur in tree hollows within mature forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Sumba boobook is an island-restricted owl found only on Sumba in Indonesia’s Lesser Sundas. It hunts mostly at night from low to mid-level perches within forest and agroforests. Its evocative, repeated hoots carry far in the humid night air and are often the best way to detect it. Ongoing forest loss on Sumba is the main threat to its persistence.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile, silent manoeuvres through forest
Social Behavior
Typically observed singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Pairs are presumed monogamous and defend small territories. Nesting likely occurs in tree cavities, with both adults involved in care. Roosts are in dense foliage close to trunks for concealment.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of mellow, repeated hoots and quavering notes, often delivered in pairs with pauses between phrases. Calls intensify at dusk and pre-dawn and can carry over long distances in still air.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with pale speckling on the scapulars and mottled barring on the wings; underparts rufous-buff with fine whitish streaks and bars. The face shows a subtle pale facial disk with darker framing and a small white throat patch. Feathers appear soft and cryptic, aiding camouflage in shaded forest.
Diet
Primarily hunts large insects such as beetles, moths, and katydids. It also takes small vertebrates including geckos, small rodents, and occasionally small birds. Prey is usually detected by sound or brief visual scans from a perch and taken in short sallies or pounces.
Preferred Environment
Perch-hunts along forest edges, lightly disturbed secondary forest, and within wooded farmland. Often forages along trails, streams, and clearings where prey is easier to detect. Uses low to mid-level perches beneath the canopy.
