This taxon is known only from subfossil remains that were found in the deposits of at least two caves on the western coast of the island of Grande Terre, New Caledonia.
This form is believed to be extinct, however, there’s a slight chance that it may still survive, since the nocturnal avifauna of the New Caledonian islands still is very much underexplored.
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edited: 05.11.2021
Norfolk Island Boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae ssp. undulata)
The Norfolk Island Boobook was described in 1801; it was endemic to Norfolk Island, where it inhabited the subtropical rainforests.
The taxon disappeared after the European settlers begun to clear the forests.
The population was reduced to a last surviving bird in 1986, a female bird named Miamiti, which died in 1996.
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This female mated with a male boobook of the nominate race that had been introduced to Norfolk Island and produced some offspring, which again has given rise to the small population of hybrid boobooks that now inhabit this island.
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Depiction from: ‘Gregory M. Mathews: The Birds of Norfolk & Lord Howe Islands and the Australian south polar quadrant with additions to “The Birds of Australia”. London: H. F. & G. Witherby 1928’
(public domain)
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edited: 05.11.2021
The South Island Laughing Owl, as its name implies, was found on the southern main islands of New Zealand.
The species reached a size of about 32 cm; it is also known as whēkau, which is one of its Maori names, or as White-faced Owl.
Originally, the South Island Laughing Owl fed on birds and especially on geckos and skinks, whose subfossil remains still can be found at former roost sites, after the arrival of human settlers it also took mice and rats, and actually there exists at least one photograph that shows an owl with a mouse in its beak.
The species died out sometimes during the early 1920s.
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Depiction from: ‘George Dawson Rowley: Birds of New Zealand. Part 1. Ornithological Miscellany 1: 1.18. 1876’
(public domain)
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edited: 05.11.2021
The Lord Howe Island Boobook was endemic to Lord Howe Island, where it inhabited the dense rainforests.
It was larger than the nominate form from New Zealand, and should probably rather be considered a distinct species.
Like so many other bird species from Lord Howe Island, also this owl species was severely affected by the grounding of the steamship ‘SS Makambo’ in 1918 which led to a literal flooding of the island by ship rats which killed many of the birds but especially destroyed their nests and eggs; additionally at least two Australian owl species, Australian Boobooks (Ninox boobook (Latham)) and Australian Masked Owls (Tyto novaehollandiae (Stephens)), were imported to Lord Howe Island in the 1920s to get rid of the rat plague, these owl species may also have taken their toll on the endemic form.
The Lord Howe Boobook might have survived into the 1950s when boobook calls were heard; these calls however, may also have come from the Australian Booboock, which apparently has since also vanished from the island.
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Depiction from: ‘Gregory M. Mathews: The Birds of Norfolk & Lord Howe Islands and the Australian south polar quadrant with additions to “The Birds of Australia”. London: H. F. & G. Witherby 1928’
(public domain)
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edited: 05.11.2021
North Island Laughing Owl (Ninox albifacies ssp. rufifacies)
The North Island Laughing Owl, described in 1904, inhabited the North Island of New Zealand; it is said to have differed from the nominate race by its more rufous feathers.
The species was already rare in the 19th century after having been widespread in earlier times.
The owl was last seen in 1989.
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Depiction from: ‘Walter Lawry Buller: Supplement to the ‘Birds of New Zealand’ Vol. 2. London: the author 1905’
(public domain)
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edited: 05.11.2021