Barking Owl (adult female), near Springhurst,
NE Victoria, July 2001"
Image: Natasha Schedvin
The Barking Owl occurs in New Guinea and adjacent islands and mainland Australia, where an
endemic race (N. c. connivens) occupies a disjunct distribution throughout much of the
continent, although it is absent from the arid, treeless expanses of Western Australia,
Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia.
Within Victoria, the species has been recorded from scattered localities throughout the
state, although it is largely absent from unforested areas such as the volcanic plains
and the semi-arid north-west (NRE 2001). The species predominantly occurs in the 400-700mm
rainfall zone north of the Great Dividing Range (Emison et al. 1987).
Ninox connivens
Habitat
Within Victoria the Barking Owl occurs in open woodlands and open forests, including Box-Ironbark and riparian River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis habitats, as well as some foothill habitats on granitic slopes. The species has been recorded more frequently in edge habitats such as the interface between woodlands and wooded farmland, than in forest interiors (Robinson 1994, Kirsten and Taylor 1999).
Examples of Bendigo's Threatened Fauna
- Barking Owl
- Brushtail Phascogale (Tuan)
- Common Dunnart
- Painted Honeyeater
- Pink-tail Worm-lizard
- Powerful Owl
- Regent Honeyeater
- Striped Legless Lizard
- Swift Parrot