Morepork

The Morepork, known in Maori as ruru, is a small, compact owl mottled in shades of brown and buff, with large, forward-facing yellow-green eyes set in a rounded facial disc. It is New Zealand's only surviving native owl species and one of the country's most familiar nocturnal sounds, its call giving rise to both its European settler name and its Maori name.

Moreporks are agile, silent fliers thanks to specialized soft-edged feathers, allowing them to swoop on prey undetected. Though rarely seen in daylight, when they are found roosting they often sit quietly in dense foliage, well camouflaged against tree bark and shadow, only becoming active as dusk falls.

Key field marks

• Small, compact owl shape with a rounded head lacking ear tufts
• Mottled brown and buff plumage overall
• Large yellow-green eyes
• Rounded facial disc
• Distinctive repeated "more-pork" or "ruru" call after dark

Similar species

• No other native owl occurs in New Zealand, so within its range the Morepork is essentially unmistakable; introduced Little Owls (established in parts of the South Island) are smaller, greyer, and lack the deep "more-pork" call, instead giving a different, higher-pitched note.

Range

Found throughout the North, South, and Stewart Islands of New Zealand, plus some outlying islands, closely related to the Australian Boobook.

Habitat

Occupies native and exotic forest, scrub, farmland with shelterbelts and mature trees, and well-vegetated urban parks and gardens.

Migration

Sedentary, with pairs holding a stable territory year-round, though young birds disperse to find territories of their own.

Behavior

Strictly nocturnal, roosting quietly by day in dense foliage or tree cavities and becoming active at dusk to hunt from a perch, dropping onto prey below.

Voice

The familiar, far-carrying two-note "more-pork" call (also rendered as "ruru") is given repeatedly through the night, along with a range of other calls including sharp yelps and screeches.

Feeding

Hunts mainly insects such as moths and beetles caught on the wing or on the ground, and also takes small mammals like mice and occasionally small birds.

Nesting

Nests in a tree cavity, on a stump, or among dense epiphytes; the female incubates two to three eggs while the male provides food, and both parents feed the chicks after hatching.