---
title: "Barking Owl"
description: "Ninox connivens — Birds. The barking owl (Ninox connivens) or barking boobook, also known as the winking owl, is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of New Guinea and the Moluccas."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/barking-owl
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Barking Owl

> Ninox connivens — Birds. The barking owl (Ninox connivens) or barking boobook, also known as the winking owl,  is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of New Guinea and the Moluccas.

- Scientific name: *Ninox connivens*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `forest` (Forest), `savanna` (Savanna)
- iNaturalist observations: 924
- Wikidata: [Q1059545](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059545)
- iNaturalist taxon: [20166](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/20166)

## Names

- en: Barking Owl
- de: Kläfferkauz
- es: Ninox ladrador
- fr: Ninoxe aboyeuse
- nl: Blafuil
- pl: Sowica szczekliwa

## Countries with the most observations

AU (777), PG (19), ID (5)

## Summary

The barking owl (Ninox connivens) or barking boobook, also known as the winking owl,  is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of New Guinea and the Moluccas. They are medium-sized brown owls and have a characteristic voice with calls ranging from a barking dog noise to an intense human-like howl.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_owl

## Photo

![Barking Owl](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/barking-owl/medium.jpg)

Photo: Stuart · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336005370

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/barking-owl?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).