• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note
Tyto tenebricosa and T. multipunctata (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as T. tenebricosa following Norman et al. (2002) and Christidis and Boles (2008), before which they had been split following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) and Christidis and Boles (1994).

Closely related to T. tenebricosa, and commonly treated as conspecific, in part due to their genetic proximity (Christidis and Boles 2008, Norman et al. 2002). On basis of published information (Higgins 1999), however, present species differs in much smaller size (effect size for female wing -10.4; score 4); longest primary P7, not P8 (1); slightly greyer plumage (ns1); more heavily spotted upperparts (ns1); white breast with dark markings vs dark with white (2); vermiculations of wings and tail much heavier and arranged in distinct cross-bands (1); more extensively white bases of flight-feathers and secondary coverts, forming larger pale centre of underwing (1); sexual size dimorphism weaker (ns); different calls (although probably a function of smaller size) (1). Thus, here recognized as a separate species, although occurring between the ranges of the two subspecies 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.

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2024	Least Concern
2016	Least Concern
2014	Least Concern
2012	Not Recognised
2008	Not Recognised
2006	Not Recognised
2004	Least Concern
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	medium
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	74,300 km2
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	stable	-	suspected	-
Generation length	3.74 years	-	-	-

Population justification: It has been estimated to number c.2,000 breeding pairs (Higgins 1999). The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Australia	extant	native	yes
Indonesia	extant	native	yes
Papua New Guinea	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude	suitable	resident
Altitude	300 - 0 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Whole (>90%)		Unknown		Unknown
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

Purpose	Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture	international

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Lesser Sooty-owl Tyto multipunctata. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/lesser-sooty-owl-tyto-multipunctata on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.