Birding

Barking Owls in Broome

August 3, 2014 by Clare M 5 Comments

We are lucky enough here in Broome to have a pair of Barking Owls that have chosen to roost in town. Over the years there have been Barking Owls observed in the Town Beach area and the Courthouse gardens and we have heard them “barking” at home as well. They are large birds at approximately 40cm/16 inches and therefore quite visible in tall open trees. We have heard them while camping to the north of Broome and have accidentally flushed them during daylight hours, though they do not fly very far when disturbed. They have very distinctive wide yellow eyes, as you will see from the photos below. The first time we observed the pair of Barking Owls this year it was very dull and late in the day and they stared down at us from the top of a tall tree. One then decided to puff out its throat at us and we left them to relax in the tree before they headed off to hunt in the evening.

Barking Owls

Barking Owls-puffed out throat!

I then returned on a sunny morning to observe them in much better light and I took the following photos for you all to enjoy! I was intrigued by the different dilation on the eyes!

Barking Owl (2)

Barking Owl (5)

Barking Owl (8)

Barking Owl (9)

Barking Owl

I have never recorded the sound of a Barking Owl, but I have found that it is available on this website, so you can listen to the “bark” of the Barking Owl wherever you are in the world. There is also plentiful information about the species at the website, so I will just fill this page with photos!

Written by Clare M

Clare and her husband, Grant, have lived permanently in Broome, Western Australia since 1999 after living in various outback locations around Western Australia and Darwin. She has lived in the Middle East and the United States and traveled extensively in Europe. She monitors Pied Oystercatchers breeding along a 23km stretch of Broome's coastline by bicycle and on foot. She chooses not to participate in social media, but rather wander off into the bush for peace and tranquility. Thankfully she can write posts in advance and get away from technology!

5 Comments

Wendy Feltham August 4, 2014 at 12:12 pm
How cool to have owls in your town, along with all the other incredible birds you have! I love those giant yellow eyes! They give them quite an unusual, haughty expression. Thanks for the link to the wook-wook bark. They do sound like dogs!
amy August 4, 2014 at 1:35 pm
I thought asymmetrical pupil dilation in owls was due to head trauma (like a car strike).
Clare and Grant-Broome Western Australia August 4, 2014 at 9:16 pm
I was told they may have “half the brain asleep”??!!
Aaron June 14, 2018 at 9:57 am
Hi Clare, my family and l are from Melbourne and are currently staying at the Cable Beach Club (14 June 2018) and l have seen and heard a breeding pair calling to the south of the tennis courts. They have been actively calling from about 2 hours after dusk. Fantastic birds!!
Aaron
Clare and Grant-Broome Western Australia June 14, 2018 at 8:17 pm
That’s great Aaron and I hope you are enjoying Broome and have visited the Poo Ponds on Clementson Street! 🙂