Ninox

New Zealand morepork ( Ninox novaezelandeae )

The Buschkäuze ( Ninox ) are a genus of the family of authentics owls ( Strigidae ). There are small or large owl with a rounded head, ear tufts are absent. The tail and pointed wings are relatively long. The face veil is unclear. The nostrils are located on the front of the bulged- cere. The distribution extends from Siberia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Japan, through the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia to New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Sunda Islands, and other islands in the Indo-Pacific region. A species is endemic to Madagascar.

System

Currently, 25 species are distinguished. In some subspecies could be either species here but further morphological and genetic analyzes are necessary.

The following types are known:

• Red Buschkauz ( Ninox rufa). Distribution: Northern Australia and New Guinea.
• Riesenkauz ( Ninox strenua ). Origin: Southeast Australia
• Kläfferkauz ( Ninox connivens ). Distribution: Northern Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia
• Sumbakauz ( Ninox Ridolfi ). Distribution: Sumba
• Small Sumbakauz ( Ninox sumbaensis ). Distribution: Sumba
• Togian Falkenkauz ( Ninox Burhani ). Distribution: Togean
• Zinnoberkauz ( Ninox ios ). Distribution: North Sulawesi
• New Zealand morepork ( Ninox novaeseelandeae ). Distribution: New Zealand. Lord Howe morepork ( Ninox novaeseelandiae Albaria ). Distribution: Lord Howe Island, extinct
• Norfolk Island morepork ( Ninox novaeseelandeae undulata ). Distribution: Norfolk Island, extinct in purebred form, survives as Norfolk Island / New Zealand Kuckuckskauzhybride.
• New Caledonia - morepork ( Ninox cf novaezelandeae ). Distribution: New Caledonia. This form is only known from subfossiles bone material.