The morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae), better known as the morepork owl, and also known by numerous other onomatopoeic names (such as boobook, mopoke or ruru), [3] is a smallish, brown owl species found in New Zealand, and to the northwest, on Norfolk Island, an Australian territory.

Often heard in the forest at dusk and throughout the night, the morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae) is known for its haunting, melancholic call. Its Māori name, ruru, reflects this call. Morepork are commonly found in forests throughout mainland New Zealand and on offshore islands.

Ruru are widely distributed throughout the native and exotic forests of New Zealand. They are uncommon in the drier eastern regions of the South Island, especially south of Christchurch. They also occur in more open areas where suitable patches of vegetation remain including sparsely-wooded farmland, and within some urban parks and gardens.

The ‘ruru’ morepork is New Zealand’s most widespread owl species. A bird of the bush and the night, it is also an important species in Māori mythology. The Morepork is the only remaining native owl species found in New Zealand apart from the barn owl, which has only very recently colonised New Zealand from Australia.

Little owls are small, plump grey-brown owls, much streaked and spotted with white. They have pale grey facial discs either side of their face just below the eyes, and prominent white bands above the bright yellow eyes and below the chin. The legs have thick white feathering all the way down to the pale yellow-grey toes.

The morepork is New Zealand’s only surviving native owl. They are found in mainland New Zealand’s forests and on many offshore islands. They are less common in the drier, more open regions of Canterbury and Otago. Speckled dark brown, with yellow eyes and long tails, they are around 29 centimetres long from head to tail and 175 grams in weight.

Barn owls are the most widely distributed species of owl in the world, breeding on all continents except Antarctica. Single birds have been recorded in New Zealand on a dozen occasions since 1947, and since 2008 a single pair has bred in Northland.

New Zealand has only two species of resident owl: the native morepork, Ninox novaeseelandiae, which is found throughout the country (although less commonly in the dry east of the South Island) and on its offshore islands, and the introduced German or little owl, Athene noctua, which lives only in the South island.

The morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae), also called the ruru or Tasmanian spotted owl, is a small brown owl found throughout New Zealand and Tasmania. Described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it was for many years considered to be the same species as the Australian boobook of mainland Australia until 1999.

2022年11月20日 · New Zealand's native owl, the Ruru, or Morepork, may be known as the Guardian of the Forest, but this nocturnal forest owl is also common in urban settings where there are lots of large trees. By day it roosts high up in the fork or hollow of trees, coming alive at night to silently swoop down on its prey.