Morepork

Ninox novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1788)

26–29 cmLength183 gWeight

The morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae), also known by its Māori name ruru, is a small brown owl found in New Zealand, the Australian islands of Norfolk Island, and formerly on Lord Howe Island.

Busiest months: November · Most records: New Zealand, Norfolk Island

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Morepork has been recorded at 41 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Tiritiri MatangiNew Zealand478 records
Tawharanui Regional ParkNew Zealand346 records
Zealandia Te Mara a Tane Wildlife SanctuaryNew Zealand290 records

More places

Rakiura NP – Ulva IslandNew Zealand165 records
Stewart Island – Oban & Halfmoon BayNew Zealand156 records
Kapiti Island LodgeNew Zealand127 records
Tiritiri Matangi – Wattle TrackNew Zealand116 records
Rotokare Scenic ReserveNew Zealand74 records
Shakespear Regional ParkNew Zealand30 records
Zealandia – Lower DamNew Zealand24 records

Countries and regions with the most records

New Zealand Norfolk Island

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae), also known by its Māori name ruru, is a small brown owl found in New Zealand, the Australian islands of Norfolk Island, and formerly on Lord Howe Island. Its names (also including boobook and mopoke) are onomatopoeic, owing to the species’ distinctive calls. Three subspecies of the morepork are recognised, one of which is extinct and another that exists only as a hybrid population.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Morepork?

The Morepork is about 26–29 cm long and weighs around 183 g.

Where does the Morepork live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: North, South and Stewart islands (New Zealand), Norfolk and Lord Howe islands. It is most often recorded in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.