Brown Boobook
Brown BoobookBrown BoobookBrown BoobookBrown Boobook

Brown Boobook

Ninox scutulata

Silhouette: Rachel T Mason · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Sinharaja Forest Reserve
47 Verified sightings at Sinharaja Forest Reserve From 2019 to 2026
3,209 Verified sightings across all 36 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Brown Boobook

The brown boobook (Ninox scutulata), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is a typical owl species. It has dark brown upperparts, whitish underparts with reddish-brown streaking, and a barred tail. It is a resident breeder in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, southern China and western Indonesia.

The brown boobook was formally described in 1822 by Stamford Raffles from a specimen collected in Sumatra under the binomial name Strix scutulata. The specific epithet is from Latin scutulatus meaning "diamond-shaped". The brown boobook is now placed with the other boobooks in the genus Ninox that was introduced by Brian Houghton Hodgson in 1837.

Nine subspecies are recognised: N. s. scutulata (Raffles, 1822) in the Malay Peninsula, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra and Bangka Island N. s. hirsuta (Temminck, 1824) in south India and Sri Lanka N. s. lugubris (Tickell, 1833) in north, northeast, central India and Nepal

N. s. borneensis (Bonaparte, 1850) in Borneo and north Natuna Islands N. s. burmanica Hume, 1876in northeast India to south China, Indochina and Thailand N. s. isolata Baker, ECS, 1926 in Car Nicobar N. s. javanensis Stresemann, 1928 in west Java

N. s. palawanensis... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Chestnut-backed Owlet
NT Endemic

Chestnut-backed Owlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Glaucidium castanotum

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Serendib Scops Owl
EN Endemic

Serendib Scops Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Otus thilohoffmanni

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ketupa nipalensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown Fish-Owl
LC

Brown Fish-Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ketupa zeylonensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Indian Scops-Owl
LC

Indian Scops-Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Otus bakkamoena

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown Wood Owl
LC

Brown Wood Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Strix leptogrammica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Jungle Owlet
LC

Jungle Owlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Glaucidium radiatum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Oriental Scops Owl
LC

Oriental Scops Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Otus sunia

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Sri Lanka Bay-Owl
LC

Sri Lanka Bay-Owl

Bird

Phodilus assimilis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
2 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
3 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
4 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
5 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
6 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
7 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
8 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~10%
9 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
10 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
11 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
12 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
13 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
14 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
15 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
16 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
17 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
18 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
19 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
20 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
21 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
22 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
23 Khao Luang National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
24 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
25 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data
26 Khangchendzonga National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
27 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
28 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
29 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
30 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
31 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
32 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
33 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
34 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
35 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data
36 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brown Boobook in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Boobook sighting in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brown Boobook in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?

February has the highest sighting rate for Brown Boobook in Sinharaja Forest Reserve in our monthly data.

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