Identification: The upper parts of the sooty owl are dark brown with fine, lighter speckles and white spots. The face is pale grey or brown with sooty-black around the eyes. The underparts are sooty-black with white spots and small, irregular, grey bars.

Call/Song: Makes a lound whistling screech as a territorial call. Also makes a variety of whistles and screams.
   Sound: Dave Stewart -used with permission

Located from just north of Brisbane south along the castline to Melbourne. Also found in a small, isolated area of north-eastern Queensland. 

Habitat:Inhabits forests, particularly the dense, wet forests.

Feeding: Eats small rodents and marsupials as well as insects.

Breeding/Nesting: Breeds around June/July, nests are built in tree hollows.

Movement: Is a solitary, nocturnal animal whuch roosts during the daytime in hollows and dense vegetation.

Other Common Names: Dusky barn owl.

Status: This animal is classified as rare under the Nature Conservation Act (Qld).

Distribution: 

Abundance:

Reader's Digest Services (1979) Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, Surry Hills, NSW.