Typical Owls (Strigidae)

Bismarck Hawk-owl (Ninox variegata) - HBW 5, p. 236

French: Ninoxe bariolée German: Bismarckkauz Spanish: Nínox de las Bismarck
Other common names: Bismarck Boobook, New Ireland Hawk-owl

Taxonomy: Noctua variegata Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, Carteret Harbor, New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago.
Relationships unclear. Proposed treatments include as member of species-group that includes N. boobook, N. novaeseelandiae, N. squamipila, N. theomacha, N. meeki and perhaps other boobooks in Australasian Region; more research needed. Sometimes referred to, erroneously, as N. solomonis. New Hanover population sometimes separated as superior. Monotypic.

Distribution: New Britain, New Ireland and New Hanover, in Bismarck Archipelago.