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New Zealand's only own Ninox novaeseelandiae

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) - nocturnal bird

$L 59-73cm, WS 138-170cm.\nResident in mountains an forests, preferring areas with rocks, steep cliffs and mature trees (preferably conifers); often in rocky archipelagos. Scattered distribution, generally rare and local.\nNocturnal and partly crepuscular. Day roost in dense mature spruces or firs, or in cave or crevice.\nFood mammals (voles, rats, hedgehogs, hares) and birds (corvids, gulls, wildfowl).\nNests on inaccessible cliff-edge or less often on the ground by rock, uprooted tree or among boulders, exceptionally in abandoned raptor’s nest or n barn, abandoned factory, etc.\nIn spite of its size and its impressive claws is by and large a non-violent and retiring owl near its nest, and aggressive behaviour toward humans is rare.\n\nThis is a scarce owl in the eastern and Southern part of the Netherlands and is mostly breeding in abandoned Quarries.\n\nThis Picture is made at a Birds of Prey Farm near Lunteren (Gelderland, the Netherlands).$