Ninox

Ninox is a genus of owls comprising about 20 species found in Asia and Australasia. Many species are known as hawk owls or boobooks. Note that the Northern Hawk-Owl Surnia ulula is not a member of this genus.

The species of Ninox are:


 * Rufous Owl,  Ninox rufa
 * Powerful Owl,  Ninox strenua
 * Little Sumba Hawk-Owl, Ninox sumbaensis
 * Morepork, Ninox novaeseelandiae
 * Barking Owl,  Ninox connivens
 * Sumba Boobook,  Ninox rudolfi
 * Southern Boobook,  Ninox boobook
 * Norfolk Boobook, Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata - extinct (1996)
 * Southern Boobook,  Ninox (novaeseelandiae) boobook
 * Lord Howe Island Morepork, Ninox novaeseelandiae/boobook albaria - extinct (1950s)
 * Northern Boobook, Ninox japonica
 * Brown Hawk-Owl,  Ninox scutulata
 * 'Split from Ninox scutulata'' by the IOC. Split supported by Clements' 6th Edition.
 * Chocolate Boobook, Ninox randi
 * 'Split from Ninox scutulata'' by the IOC Split supported by Clements' 6th Edition.
 * Togian Boobook, Ninox burhani
 * Hume's Hawk-Owl, Ninox obscura
 * Andaman Hawk-Owl,  Ninox affinis
 * Luzon Hawk-Owl,  Ninox philippensis
 * Mindanao Hawk-Owl, Ninox spilocephala
 * Mindoro Hawk-Owl, Ninox mindorensis
 * Romblon Hawk-Owl, Ninox spilonota
 * Cebu Hawk-Owl, Ninox rumseyi
 * Camiguin Hawk-Owl, Ninox leventisi
 * Sulu Hawk-Owl, Ninox reyi
 * Ochre-breasted Hawk-Owl / Ochre-bellied Boobook,  Ninox ochracea
 * Cinnabar Hawk-Owl / Cinnabar Boobook,  Ninox ios
 * Southern Moluccan Hawk-Owl,  Ninox squamipila
 * North Moluccan Hawk-Owl,  Ninox hypogramma
 * Tanimbar Hawk-Owl / Tanimbar Boobook, Ninox forbesi
 * Christmas Island Hawk-Owl / Christmas Boobook,  Ninox natalis
 * Jungle Hawk-Owl / Papuan Hawk-Owl,  Ninox theomacha
 * Manus Hawk-Owl / Manus Boobook,  Ninox meeki
 * Speckled Hawk-Owl / Speckled Boobook,  Ninox punctulata
 * Bismarck Hawk-Owl / New Ireland Boobook,  Ninox variegata
 * Russet Hawk-Owl / New Britain Boobook,  Ninox odiosa
 * Solomons Hawk-Owl / Solomons Boobook,  Ninox jacquinoti
 * New Caledonian Boobook, Ninox cf. novaeseelandiae - prehistoric, might still survive

The fossil owls "Otus" wintershofensis and "Strix" brevis, both from the Early or Middle Miocene of Wintershof West, Germany, are close to this genus; the latter was sometimes explicitly placed in Ninox (Olson 1985) but is now in Intutula. "Strix" edwardsi from the Late Miocene of La Grive St. Alban, France, might also belong into this group.



Now in Athene

 * White-browed Hawk Owl, Athene superciliaris

In Human Culture

 * "NINOX" is an Australian Army project to develop night vision goggles; it is named after Ninox strenua.