From Eaglewatch NL
LESSER SOOTY-OWL - Stable numbers
• NL: Kleine zwarte kerkuil (Tyto multipunctata)
• FR: Effraie piquetée
• Photo ©: Dash Huang
Queensland, Australia
The lesser sooty owl is an owl that lives in the wet tropics region of north eastern Queensland, Australia. It is part of the masked group of owls: an important part of the environment because they are efficient predators that keep down rodent populations.
The lesser sooty owl faces many threats such as habitat loss and fragmentation from logging, agriculture, tourism, mining, pine plantations, climate change and predation by domestic and feral animals. Even though the sooty owl is of least concern and its populations are currently stable.
So freanking cute…
They feel like little cosmic owls to me. I love their space/stars patterns. Certainly not any “lesser” in my view. ✨