Ninox japonica
Silhouette: Rachel T Mason · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The northern boobook (Ninox japonica) belongs to the family Strigidae (true owls) and is a raptorial owl endemic to eastern and southern countries of Asia. The species was considered, until recently, a conspecific of Ninox scutulata or brown boobook, a species of similar distribution encompassing 11 subspecies. The species currently includes two subspecies, the migrant Ninox japonica japonica and the non-migrant Ninox japonica totogo. There are no indications of significant decline in northern boobook populations and therefore its conservation status has been classified as least concern by the IUCN Red List.
Ninox japonica is a hawk owl species with a body length averaging between 29 and 33 cm and a wingspan of approximately 60 to 70 cm wide. Current knowledge on the species shows no sexual dimorphism and an average weight of approximately 168g. The northern boobook has a hawk-like appearance and its subspecies are practically indistinguishable... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ueno Zoo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 2 | Asahiyama Zoo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 3 | Inokashira Park Zoo | 🇯🇵 Japan |
No species of the same family or order lives in Hong Kong, so these are its closest relatives here: other birds.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Boobook sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 174th most-seen of the 204 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Boobook in Hong Kong on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Boobook sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 11 cities where we can rate Northern Boobook sightings, Hong Kong ranks 6th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Naha (Japan, under 5%), Seoul (South Korea, under 5%) and Kaohsiung (Taiwan, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Boobook is recorded against all the birds logged in Hong Kong (25 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
