Hi,
Can anyone confirm what this feather may be from- it looks Ninox-y. It was collected today on the Shipley Plateau in the Blue Mountains (about 1050m ASL) it tall open forest.
Many thanks
Anne
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It looks like a breast feather... the trouble is that all of our owls have similar plumages. the rufous colour forms a scaloping pattern instead of streaking... Barking Owls need more dense forest, so it could also be a Powerful Owl. Considering the size of the feather, I don't think a 6cm breast feather would fit on a Boobook. You would be likely to find a Powerful Owl at that altitude...
I'm going with Powerful Owl.
Brandon (aka ihewman)
Barking owls need more dense forest? I thought the opposite was true, and they were more often found in open plains and light woodland?
Either way, records for Barking Owls seem scarse in the Blue Mountains, thus leaving either Boobook or Powerful Owl.
Out of the two, I think Boobook is more likely. Not only is it more common, but the shape of the markings on the top 2cm of the feather seem appropriate for those found on a Boobook's chest.
Also, wouldn't only the top 2cm of the feather be visible? The rest would have another feather over the top of it?
Rufous is irrelevant for the Shipley Plateau in the upper Blue Mountains, and the feather isn't grey, ruling out Sooty.
Thanks for the comments guys. I was wondering if I had misssed some obvious species that wasn't one of the Ninox owls!
This does not look like an owl feather, but if it were, then only a Southern Boobook would have such browns on it. This brown appears a little light for boobooks in these areas, but it is hard to discount the species.
Powerful Owl breast feathers are white and have black V shapes on them.
Hi Canonguy,
Thanks for your response. I wondered if it could be anything but an owl and couldn't come up with anything. If it isn't an owl have you any suggestions for what it might be? It's pretty big for a breast feather. Agree re Powerful.
Cheers
Anne