Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Ninox boobook, N. rotiensis, N. fusca and N. plesseni were previously lumped under N. boobook (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) but are split on the basis of genetic divergence and differences in vocalisations (Gwee et al. 2017). For relationships with other taxa in Ninox, see under N. boobook. Monotypic.
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2023. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 8. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v8_Dec23.zip.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
medium |
Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The population size of this species has not been robustly estimated. It is descriptively considered local and uncommon (Verbelen et al. 2017, Eaton et al. 2021), and Verbelen et al. (2017) speculated there may be fewer than 500 mature individuals, writing that the population occurs in 'an area of less than 50–100 km2. However, the species appears to occur in several areas of forest across Rote (mostly in the north; eBird 2023), and the total area of suitable habitat is calculated here to be at least 200 km2. Verbelen et al.'s (2017) observation of six calling individuals in a relatively small area of evergreen forest near Bolatena suggests that, where good habitat remains, this species can occur at reasonably high density (as is often typical for insular Ninox). Precautionarily, the minimum number of mature individuals is set to 500. In the absence of specific data, the maximum number is set to 5,000 mature individuals, allowing for a total area of occupied habitat of c. 250 km2, and a density of 20 mature individuals or 10 pairs per km2.
Trend justification: It is suspected to be declining slowly in response to forest cover loss. N. rotiensis is at least moderately forest-dependent, being observed only very rarely in plantations or heavily degraded landscapes (Verbelen 2010, Verbelen et al. 2017, Eaton et al. 2021, eBird 2023). There is no other threat known or suspected to be impacting the species, thus the rate of population decline is thought to be closely matched to that of forest cover loss. Over the past three generations (16.35 years: 2007–2023), the rate of forest cover loss in its range was equal to 5–6%, depending on the assumptions used (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data from Hansen et al. (2013) and methods disclosed therein). This rate accelerated slightly from 2014, equivalent to 7.5–9% over three generations. Over the past three generations therefore, the population size of this species is suspected to have declined by 1–9%, while over the next three generations (2023–2039), and in the window 2014–2030, the population is suspected to decline by a slightly increased rate of 3–13%. Because this species is tolerant of secondary forests, these declines are thought to be reversible if logging ceases.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Rote Boobook Ninox rotiensis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rote-boobook-ninox-rotiensis on 04/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 04/01/2025.