A sleek, medium-sized forest raptor native to mainland Australia, parts of New Guinea, and the Moluccas. Its coat of brownish-grey is patterned with vertical streaks down the chest, white spots on the wings, and bold bars on the tail and flight feathers. Bright yellow eyes peer out from a smooth, rounded head—with no ear tufts—adding to its alert and enigmatic forest look. This owl’s plumage, rich in subtle patterns, makes it a master of camouflage among tree trunks and moonlit branches.

What really sets the barking owl apart, though, is its voice. True to its name, it can bark like a small dog—think a sharp “woof-woof”—often in duet form when a pair calls back and forth. But that’s not all; when just the right moment strikes, it can shift from barking into a chilling, human-like scream, earning it local legends of “screaming ladies” in the bush. Its vocal range—from low-pitched territorial barks to piercing wails—makes its presence known far beyond the forest canopy, giving its night calls legendary status among listeners.

Barking owls are versatile hunters with one of the broadest diets among Australian owls. They’re ambush experts—silent in flight, perching patiently before pouncing on prey across ground, trees, or even mid-air. Their menu spans large insects, flying bats, small mammals like rabbits and possums, birds (including sometimes large species), and even amphibians or fish. They nest in hollowed tree cavities near waterways, laying two to three eggs, which hatch in under a month of incubation. In certain regions, their numbers are dropping dramatically—southern Australia has fewer than 50 breeding pairs left—making habitat protection critical. Yet in parts like Queensland and the Northern Territory, their calls still echo regularly through the wooded night.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Australia

2016

Breeding

Indonesia

2016

Breeding

Papua New Guinea

2016

Breeding