Ninox novaeseelandiae ocellata Ninox novaeseelandiae ocellata Ninox novaeseelandiae ocellata is a subspecies of southern boobook. The southern boobook is the most common and smallest owl on the Australian mainland. The sub species is characterised by its lighter colour than other sub species, and is generally found in a wide range of habitats (adapting very well to human activities). Ocellata is the smallest of the boobook subspecies as it is found in the warmer western parts of Australia (north-western New South Wales/western Queensland across to Western Australia). although it is not found in arid areas. The Boobook can be commonly known as the ‘mopoke’
Southern boobook to "N. connivens". Genetic and call analysis show the Christmas boobook ("N. natalis") to be very close to the Australian populations of the southern boobook, leading Gwee and colleagues to suggest it be reclassified within this species. Gwee and colleagues found that boobook populations on larger mountainous islands were more distinct from Australian stock, while those on flatter smaller islands were much more similar, suggesting that these locations were colonised much more recently after previous populations had become extinct. Eleven subspecies of "Ninox boobook" are recognised in version 7.3 of the IOC World Bird List, published in July 2017: The