norfolk island boobook owl

The Norfolk Island boobook is related to the boobooks (also called moreporks) found throughout Australasia.  They are called boobooks because of their night time call which sounds like “booo boork”.

The ‘original’ Norfolk Island boobook is regarded as extinct.  The owls used to be common in Norfolk’s rainforest but by the early 1900s, not many survived.  By the late 1980s only one owl (a female) remained.  She was named Miamiti after Fletcher Christian’s Tahitian wife.  Miamiti is the owl in this photograph. 

 

Two male New Zealand Moreporks were introduced to give Miamiti a chance to breed and in 1989 and 1990, she produced 2 chicks.  The current owl population on Norfolk Island is descended from those 6 birds.

 

Thanks to the success of the breeding program, some of the genetics of the original owl species continue in their hybrid offspring and these birds continue to fill a place in the unique Norfolk Island ecosystem.

What is being done to protect the Norfolk Island boobook? The staff help maintain nest sites, monitor breeding and actively control predators and non-native competitors.  They also build and install nesting boxes which they monitor to ensure that rats and red parrots are not using them.

 

The future

A core population of owls continues to live in the Norfolk Island National Park. Boobook calls are now reported from various parts  of the island and these reports are becoming more         frequent.  We think it is very likely that the owls are breeding     both within and outside the National Park.

There are now more than 30 birds, this constitutes a major triumph in the conservation of the genetics of a species on the edge of extinction.

                                    

Norfuk Ailen Buubuk Auwl

Ninox novaezeelandiae undulata

Daa Norfuk Ailen buubuk es relieshan o dem buubuk (samtaim korlet morporks) faun thruuaut Ostraliesha.  Dem korlet et buubuk f’ dems nait taim korl wich saun simes “booo boork”.

Daa ‘orijinal’ Norfuk Ailen buubuk es rigaaded aes ekstinkt.  Dem aul bin yuusa bii es kohman iin Norfuks rienfohres bat bai d’ erli 1900s, naewa haed meni laef.  Bai d’ liet 1980s uni wan auwl (wan fiimiel) wos laef.  Dem niem her Miamiti f’ Fletcher Christian’s Taahishan waif.  Miamiti es daa aul iin dieh foeto. 

 

Dem bring tuu miel Nyuu Siilan Morpork ya f’ giw Miamiti wan chaensf’ briid en iin 1989 en 1990, shi prodyuus 2 chiks.  Dem aul wi gat ya nau orn Norfuk Aien es orl desended fram dii 6 berd.

 

Thaenks t’ d’ sakses o daa briiden proegraem, sam’dem jenetiks o dem orijinal auwl spiisis sti iin dems haibrid orfspring en dii berd kontinyu f’ fil wan said iin daa yuunik Norfuk Ailen iikosistam.

Wathen dem duuen f’ protekt daa Norfuk Ailen Buubuk?Dem staaf haelp mientien dem nes sait, mohnita dems briiden en aektivli kohntroel predetas ena nohn-nietiv kompetitas.  Dem orlsoe yuusa bild en pat iina nesten boks wich dem yuusa mohnita f’ miek shua dem raet ena red paerat nor yuus et.

 

Daa fyuuch

Wan kor populieshan o auwls stil lew ya iin’ Norfuk Ailen Naeshnal Paak. Buubuk korls es nou reported fram deferent said orna ailen en dii reports es kamen mor friikwant.  Wi thort es veri laikli thaet dem auwl es briiden boeth iinsaid en autsaid daa Naeshnal Paak.

Nau gat mor den 30 berds, dii konstityuuts wan mieja traiamf iina kohnsavieshan o  jenetiks o wan spiisis orna iej o ekstinkshan.