About Ninox novaeseelandiae (J.F.Gmelin, 1788)
Morepork, scientifically named Ninox novaeseelandiae (J.F.Gmelin, 1788), measures 26 to 29 cm (10 to 11.5 in) in total length, with females being slightly larger than males. Females weigh between 170–216 g (6.0–7.6 oz), while males weigh 140–156 g (4.9–5.5 oz). The species has generally dark brown heads and upperparts: pale brown spots mark the head and neck, and white markings appear on the remainder of the upperparts. It has a pale yellow-white supercilium (eyebrow), dark brown ear coverts, and buff-colored cheeks. Its eyes range from yellow to golden-yellow. Chin and throat feathers are buff with dark brown shafts. Underpart feathers are mostly dark brown with buff and white spots and streaks; larger markings on the belly give the underparts an overall paler appearance. The upper surface of the tail is dark brown with lighter brown bars. The cere and bill are pale blue-grey with a black cutting edge, and the feet are orange or yellow with blackish claws. Young moreporks do not develop full adult plumage until their third or fourth year. The tips of juvenile feathers are white and fluffy, which are leftover down from the nestling stage. These worn away gradually over time, and persist the longest on the head. Overall, the head, neck, and underpart feathers of juveniles are fluffier than those of adults, and their entire plumage is darker and more greyish brown than adult plumage. In terms of distribution and habitat, on New Zealand's North Island, morepork is common from Rangaunu Harbour south to southern Taranaki and west of Tauranga, Lake Taupō, and Whanganui, as well as between Murupara and the Hangaroa River in the northeast, and in southern Manawatū, Wellington, and Wairarapa in the south; it is uncommon outside these areas. On the South Island, it is more common west of the Southern Alps, around Marlborough, and in Southland. It is common on Stewart Island and New Zealand's offshore islands. In New Zealand, it primarily lives in forests dominated by Podocarpus, Nothofagus, Metrosideros, and other hardwoods, ranging up to the alpine tree line. On Norfolk Island, it inhabits forests of the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla).
