Extinct native birds to New Zealand report

 Laughing owl- (whekau)

Classification:  

The Laughing owl belongs to the Sceloglaux family. The other word for Laughing owl is Whekau.

Description: 

Laughing-owls are about twice the size of a morepork, that means that the laughing owl is about 58 to 60 cm tall. Each feather has a brown centre almost to the tip and a board edge. Adults are dark brown with buff-yellow colored feathers.

Habitat:

Laughing owls live in both open country and forested areas. They rested in caves or rock faces and on rock ledges.

Diet:

The laughing owl feed on lizards, small birds, insects. They have developed study legs for chasing prey on foot, thus a ground feeder. It was abundant  around 1845 and within 40 years, this mysterious bird had disappeared.

Threats:

introduced predators to the laughing-owl are dog, cat, rats. The Laughing owl became extinct in the early 20th century. the last know bird was found dead on the road at blue cliffs station.