Size: Length; 29cm. Weight; 170g.

Habitat and distribution: New Zealand. Forest, farmland and pine plantations.

Breeding: Nest in tree hollows, 2 eggs laid which are incubated by the female for 30 days. Chicks fledge at around five weeks.

Diet: Mainly insects, spiders and small vertebrates.

• Also known as Morepork or Ruru by the Maori people.
• 189 species make up the family Strigidae (typical owls, but excluding Barn Owls).
• Females are generally larger than males.
• Owls have excellent hearing; their disc–shaped faces are designed to direct the slightest sound to the large ear openings.
• An owl’s neck has twice as many vertebrae as a human’s, which enables them to rotate their heads 270 degrees.
• Their eyes are designed for optimum binocular vision in low light; these adaptations allow them to locate prey easily.
• Finally their feathers are specially adapted to allow them to fly silently; this enables them to catch prey before being detected.