The largest of Australia’s owls, the Powerful Owl, usually inhabits the moist forests of eastern Australia.
Its main item of prey are possums of various species, though large bats such as flying foxes are also often caught. They roost by day, perched in the dense shade of a tree, often with the previous night’s prey held in their large talons; this is when Powerful Owls are seen most often. They are more commonly recorded in the suburbs due to an increase of possums in urban environments. Powerful Owls have a slow deep and resonant double hoot, which can be heard year-round, but are particularly vocal during the autumn breeding period.
Powerful Owls mate for life (over 30 years in some cases) and defend a foraging territory year-round. They require large old trees with large hollows for breeding, returning to the same tree each year to mate during the winter months. The male prepares the nest and roosts nearby to provide the female and chicks with a constant supply of food that is kept in its talons. Once hatched, the chicks remain inside the nest for 55 days and when fledged will stay within the parents’ territory for several months and in some cases, over a year.
The retention of large old trees and old growth forests is important for a range of species across Port Stephens but is particularly critical for the Powerful Owl.
