Barn-owls (Tytonidae)

Lesser Sooty-owl (Tyto multipunctata) - HBW 5, p. 67

French: Effraie piquetée German: Fleckenrußeule Spanish: Lechuza Moteada
Other common names: Sooty Owl(!), Silver Owl

Taxonomy: Tyto tenebricosa multipunctata Mathews, 1912, Johnstone River, north Queensland.
Forms superspecies with T. tenebricosa, and until 1981 treated as conspecific, but differs in size, plumage and voice; now usually recognized as separate species, though occurring between the ranges of the two races of T. tenebricosa; these two species have occasionally been separated in genus Megastrix. As recently as 1940, present species was considered not to differ even subspecifically from T. t. tenebricosa. Monotypic.

Distribution: NE Queensland, from Cedar Bay S to Paluma and inland to Windsor, Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands.