Ninox japonica
Silhouette: Rachel T Mason · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Boobook sighting in Seoul on a given day, based on 121 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 123rd most-seen of the 231 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Boobook in Seoul on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months. Those are among Seoul's wettest months, with about 240 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in January.
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, Seoul ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Naha (Japan, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Boobook is recorded against all the birds logged in Seoul (121 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.
