Christmas Island Hawk Owl

Facts about Christmas Island Hawk Owl, The Christmas Island Hawk Owl is an owl variety that belongs to the genus Ninox of the Strigidae family. "Scientific name for Christmas Island Hawk Owl is Ninox natalis". Christmas Island Hawk Owl is also commonly called as the Christmas Island Hawk-Owl. Christmas Island Hawk Owls are prevalent in Christmas Island, so they attained the name. The natural homes of the Christmas Island Hawk Owls are tropical or subtropical damp lowland forests and tropical or subtropical damp shrub land. The Christmas Island Hawk Owl species can be seen only on Christmas Island and the number of owls is anticipated to be approximately 1000 birds, with 560 breeding couples. Earlier the Christmas Island Hawk Owl breed was a subspecies of Ninox squamipila and it was considered a separate species only in 1998. The Christmas Island Hawk Owl is considered an endangered species, owing to habitat loss.

Features of Christmas Island Hawk Owl

The Christmas Island Hawk Owl is a small size owl that has a body length, ranging from 10 3/8 inches to 11 5/8 inches (26 cm to 29cm). The length of their wings ranges from 7.1 inches to 7 5/16 inches (17.8 cm to 18.3 cm). The Christmas Island Hawk Owls have a tail that has a length of 5 inches (12.7 cm) and with the body weight, ranging from 0.28 lbs to 0.44 lbs (130 grams to 200 grams).

The Christmas Island Hawk Owl has a red color body and it is closely associated with the hawk owls of Australia and South-east Asia. The Christmas Island Hawk Owl breed looks like a small, red-tan Boobook Owl. The breast of the owl is white in color and it is thinly barred rustic, whereas the tail of the bird is dark brown in color with 10 rustic bands. This bird has a yellow-grey color bill and its eyes will be yellow in color.

The voice of the Christmas Island Hawk Owl is often heard during evening and night. The Christmas Island Hawk Owl hides in densely foliaged trees or in dense thickets in middle sunshade during the day. The main call of the Christmas Island Hawk Owl resembles that of the Boobook Owl, with two howls, the second hoot being somewhat lower in tone. This call is regularly repeated several times in just some minutes. The call of the Christmas Island Hawk Owl breed is similar to that of the barking dog.

Other notable calls of the Christmas Island Hawk Owl include a piercing, trilling call, offered by the begging juvenile birds, and a Chirring call offered by the female owl, requesting food from the male owl during nesting and courtship. During courtship, the male owl will offer a strange call when it is near the female owl. The male owl offers a different call while offering food to the female owl and the nestlings.

Diet of Christmas Island Hawk Owl

The Christmas Island Hawk Owl feeds mostly on insects, generally by grabbing them from foliage. Christmas Island Hawk Owls will also feed on insects that are flying around street lights. Occasionally, Christmas Island Hawk Owls also feed on small birds, lizards, and juvenile black rats.

Breeding of Christmas Island Hawk Owl

The Christmas Island Hawk Owl has a prolonged breeding season, which means that it will breed throughout the year. Christmas Island Hawk Owls usually constructs its nest in the hollow of trees. The eggs will hatch after the gestation period of 68 to 77 days, after that the chicks will start fledging, and they are reliant on their parents for a minimum period 2 1/2 months.